News

New episode of The Spine Chillers webcomic available now. Includes Poe!

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:40:00 GMT

We last saw our heroes, Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce, watching in terror as their missing friend and author, HP Lovecraft, is discovered on the verge of being burnt to death by religious cultists. What is to be the fate of this renowned author? Find out right now, in the latest installment of Ben Clark's the Spine Chillers.

To catch up on any episodes you may have missed, simply click on any of the authors images above to be whisked into a land of Spine Chiller comic strip delight.

Performing the Loxleys and The War of 1812

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:44:00 GMT

It's been so busy here at our Mountain Lair these past two weeks that we've barley been able to run out to the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo (which was amazing, thank you to everyone that came out to see us launch the Loxleys's book!) before burying ourselves deep in the depths of the mountain to continue crafting finely hewn stories.

This morning we ventured forth to the Canmore Collegiate High School theatre, where the grade 7 students from Lawrence Grassi Middle School performed the world premiere performance of the school play adaptation of our Loxleys and the War of 1812 graphic novel. Oscar nominated Hollywood screenwriter Tab Murphy handled the adaptation of Alan's script, and the students were directed ably by their social studies teacher Sonja Howatt, backed up by Sean Krausert and a band of resourceful parent volunteers.

This photo shows the Loxleys and guests arriving to celebrate a bountiful harvest.

We thoroughly enjoyed the performance and it was lovely to see the story we know so well from the graphic novel come to life on the stage. There is a second performance of the play tonight at 7.15pm which we will venture forth to see again as it is a great production.

The Green Tigers following the trail of misery left by American Renegades.

We know of more than a dozen schools in Ontario looking to stage the play next year and bring this important chapter in Canada's founding identity alive.

The Spine Chillers Web comic - New Episode!

Thu, 03 May 2012 04:03:00 GMT

Cor blimey Guv'nor! Just what in the Dickens has Lovercraft got himself into this time?

FInd out in the latest thrilling installment of Ben Clark's The Spine Chillers web comic.

1812 Buttons ready for CCEE

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:08:00 GMT

Some call them buttons, some call them badges, but whatever you call them, we've got some great ones just in time for the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. Featuring artwork by Claude St. Aubin and Lovern Kindzierski from The Loxleys and the War of 1812 graphic novel, our buttons come in two different variations.

The War of 1812 Heroes set features 1 inch Isaac Brock, Laura Secord, and Tecumseh buttons, presented in a stylised package. Only 80 sets will be available, priced at $5.

We'll also have three individual 1.25 inch button designs, featuring the White House in flames, the Loxleys themselves, and a button that should finally end the debate on who actually won the war. If the US Navy can claim the war as the 2nd American war of Independence, why can't we add a little balance too?

We'll have 100 of each button available at the booth for only a dollar each. So come and find us at booth 422/522 for buttons, books, and much, much more.

New episode of The Spine Chillers webcomic. Now with added Whicker Man action.

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:45:00 GMT

Ben Clark delivers the latest nail-biting episode of The Spine Chillers as Poe and Bierce close in on solving the mystery of Lovecraft's disappearance. Just what has Lovecraft got himself into now?

The Loxleys make a stand at Calgary Expo, 1812 style

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:21:00 GMT

April 27th marks the start of the biggest and best Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo the city will have ever seen. Around 40,000 attendees are expected to throng to the BMO Centre to be welcomed by a host of entertainment stars, creators and companies.

It'll also mark the local launch for The Loxleys and the War of 1812 hardback graphic novel, with artists Claude St Aubin and Lovern Kindzierski joining publisher Alexander Finbow at the Renegade booth, number 422-522.

Yes, Canada's biggest graphic novel release of 2012 will be available to Expo attendees first.

We'll have the first copies available anywhere in the world. Due to some sort of technical mystery, we'll only have 150 copies flown to us in time for the show. That's 150 for an expected 40,000 attendees.

Past expo experience would suggest that if you'd like to pick up a copy at the show (signed by Claude and Lovern too if you'd like) you'd best come and see us sooner rather than later. We'll be giving two copies of the book to The Expo, I think one will be in the charity raffle and the other one might be used as a competition prize. Will let you know when we hear the definite plans.

We'll also have some groovy limited edition buttons and playing cards featuring artwork from the book. The 'War of 1812 Heroes' button set features Isaac Brock, Laura Secord, and Tecumseh. The individual buttons feature the White House in flames, the Loxleys, and a 'We Won The War!' design. If we get our hands on them in time, we'll post some images, the artwork looks great encapsulated in a small metal and plastic shiny circle.

Claude will have original artwork form the book with him, some of which he may be persuaded to sell.

Of course the Renegade booth will be stocked with our other comic book titles, audiobooks, and children's book. Plus we'll have preview pages and artwork form our upcoming titles, and possibly ashcans of the first issues of two eagerly awaited series. The guys will also be looking at portfolios as time permits, as well as swapping stories, advice and catching up with friends old and new.

And here's a handy map to help you find us, we're in booth 422-522, just up form Artist Alley.

For those of you not attending CCEE but want a Loxleys graphic novel, you can either order directly through our webstore, or from your local comic book store, independent book store, library or history museum. This book will not be available through Amazon.

Turning Tiger in Stores Now!

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:53:00 GMT

April 18th is an auspicious date as it is the day the Turning Tiger special edition hits comic and book stores across the world. Richmond Clements and Alex Moore's tale of rogue robots colliding with a family dealing with their own problems is a wonderfully realised comic book with the right mix of action, adventure, emotion and excitement to satisfy the youngest to the oldest reader.

The reviews have been very positive (check out the Turning Tiger facebook page to read them easily) with both the story and artwork gaining praise from critics and readers alike. The success of this book has led us to commission a second story catching up with Rich and Alex's characters, more details on this later in the year.

If you want to get hold of a copy and are not lucky enough to have a wonderful comic or bookstore nearby willing to help you out, we're here to help. Click the comic store locator icon below to find your closest comic book store:

Alternatively you can order the English and French versions in print directly from us here, or if digital is more your thing then you can find Turning Tiger in our iPad bookstore app, and as digital downloads from our website too.

We hope you enjoy the book and please let us know what you think.

The Loxleys invade the App store

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:17:00 GMT

Just a quick announcement that there is now a stand-alone app for The Loxleys and the War of 1812 preview comic, which features the first 22 pages of the comic strip. The app has been developed by New York based Nov8rix and goes beyond what you'd expect from a simple pdf reader style app, with great navigation, external links and the ability to email us from within the app built in.

It's the latest step in our collaboration with Nov8rix and we are really excited at some of the app developments they've been working on recently that will soon be unveiled.

The Loxleys preview app will work on iphones, ipads, and ipods and is available now for only 99 cent here:

http://itunes.apple.com/app/the-loxleys-and-the-war-of-1812/id517598075?mt=8

The Spine Chillers are back!

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:03:00 GMT

The moment has arrived. Yes, a freshly baked episode of Ben Clark's humour webcomic has been carried by an over excited Goblin to us here at the Mountain Lair central cavern. Thankfully for all peoples of the world Ben Clark has found his way out of the Labyrinth of Despair® and is once again safely chained to his drawing boulder.

Episode 95 catches up with literary heroes Edgar Allan Poe and Ambrose Bierce on their search for the mysteriously vanished HP Lovecraft. What fate has befallen the acid tongued author of the dark? Read on to find out. And refresh your memory of all the previous anarchic adventures too.

Channel Evil Issue 3 cover

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:25:00 GMT

As promised here it is, courtesy of the talented pen and brush of Mr Shane Oakley.

Issue 3 deals with the ramifications of Baal's increased influence over Jez Manson. Can Fast Mick keep covering for him or will detectives Niven and Tate work out who is really behind the grizzly murders? Find out in approximately two weeks when issue 3 is released digitally on our iPad app and through our webstore.

Alan Grant and Shane Oakley present...

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:08:00 GMT

From one of the deepest, darkest caverns here at the Mountain lair, Alan Grant and Shane Oakley have been quietly brewing the horror comic Channel Evil since before the creation of planet earth. Now, Shane has left the trance state that allowed the Old Ones to channel themselves into his art, and has sent terrified goblins to us carrying 22 pages of freshly resurrected Channel Evil issue 3 artwork.

Jim Campbell is taking over lettering duties for issues 3 and 4, so we have thrown him down to Alan and Shane. Hopefully he will survive the rituals necessary to become part of the Channel Evil creative team. Issue 3 will be available digitally very soon, and in the meantime if you need to catch up with issues 1 and 2, they are available from us (issue 1 in print and digital, issue 2 digitally), from graphic.ly, and from our iPad app.

Tomorrow we'll show you Shane's cover, just got to wait for the blood to dry first. Then, if time allows we'll show you the variant cover that a certain very well known artist created just for us.

What's on the Editor's desk today?

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:10:00 GMT

So much of what we create today comes to me digitally. It looks great and is faster and much more efficient than sending artwork in the mail but it is nice to get physical, tactile 'things' now and again. Right now on my desk are a few real solid physical things that are great to see and hold.

Here's the Friesens content proof for the Loxleys and the War of 1812 book and the cover proof. Above them, a mock up of the book we had Bow Valley Basics make up for us. It all looks great thankfully and we're just waiting on the contract proofs for the final stage of approvals.

At 9pm last night UPS delivered this package. It contains the 100 sets of limited edition playing cards created using Claude and Lovern's artwork from the Loxley book. Each suit in the pack represents a different faction in the war, with the Loxleys themselves taking the Hearts. I love well designed playing cards and have some favourites from other publishers and genres in my own small collection. The Loxley set is an experiment for us as it is easy to lose money on badly thought out merchandise and I have no idea how popular ours will be. I'm hoping they will go down well as I would really like to have more created for other properties in the Renegade stable.

Here's a selection of the cards straight from the pack. They were road tested today at the local Mexican restaurant this afternoon and I'm pleased to say they passed with flying colours. And that is what is on my desk today. Tomorrow, maybe I'll show you what's in the 'To be read' pile...

Catching our breath

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:55:00 GMT

It's good to be back at the stone tablet chiselling out a new blog update finally. We've been nose to the grind stone with so many great and wonderful books recently that there hasn't been an opportunity to pause long enough to light another candle to chisel too.

So to give you a little insight into what's been keeping us locked deep inside the Rocky Mountains this month, here's a taster put together by me, Head Goblin.

The Loxleys and the War of 1812 graphic novel has gone to print (order info is here) and we have started sending out review pdfs, leading to this nice quote that just came in:

"The Loxleys and the War of 1812 is not the first comic to blend history, education and adventure, but it is by far the best that I have ever encountered."
Dr Chris Murray, Lecturer in Comics Studies, University of Dundee

Which was nice to read this morning. We've also been busy helping the staff and Grade 7 students at Lawrence Grassi Middle School with the world premiere of The Loxleys and the War of 1812 school play (photo courtesy of the Rocky Mountain Outlook Newspaper, click it to read their article).

Tab Murphy's adaptation has ben embraced by social studies teacher Sonja Howatt, with support from the local community with costumes, acting training, props and set design helping this ambitious and engaging production come to life. Two performances are planned for May 10th.

The graphic novel will be launched at the Calgary Entertainment Expo April 27th-29th, with artists Claude St. Aubin and Lovern Kindzierski joining publisher Alexander Finbow at the Renegade booth (booth 422/522). Claude will have original artwork from the graphic novel with him too.

Down in a darker, damper cave are the Monsterology 101 creative team of Gordon Rennie, PJ Holden, Steve Denton and Jim Campbell. With care and attention they are fashioning this 4 issue tale of supernatural investigation out of clay using just their calloused, bare hands. A snotling reports that issue 1 is almost ready, with PJ already well into the art for issue 3.

Doug Bradley has been busy researching and writing the introductions to volumes 10-13 of the Doug Bradley's Spinechillers audiobook series. He'll be in the studio, soon as we can find a good one in the Pittsburgh area. This is Dan Woods' cover design for volume 10.

And... We're close to releasing Doug's Tell Tale Heart movie adaptation, through a new delivery method that we're experimenting with. More on that soon.

Below me now, well several hundred feet below me, David Ross is busy realising the world of a new comic series we've got coming out in the near future created and written by Lovern Kindzierski.

This inked panel from issue 1 is part of the manuscripts being carried on Orc-back to Chris Chuckry for colouring right now. It's a compelling and unusual story that we're really looking forward to seeing.

William Simpson has escaped his storyboard duties on Game of Thrones momentarily to continue writing and drawing his own Vampire epic VMT. Lovern and Jim Campbell have finished colours and letters on issue 1 and Will is well into inking issue 2. Want a little look at this hotly anticipated 6 issue series? Well... here you go.

We can't find his cave any more, something to do with the last cave in, but John Bolton still manages to send us his beautifully painted watercolour canvases for Shame book 2. Editor, Alexander Finbow, has ordered me to choose a panel that I really like, to preview today. This is the one I chose, hope you like it as much as me.

Diamond comics distribution have put in their order for Turning Tiger collected editions so they'll be in stores soon. If you haven't ordered one and want to get your hands on a copy of this well reviewed and great tale from Richmond Clements and Alex Moore then we have it here in digital, print and ipad flavours, or ask your comic book store to order it for you.

Another artist hard at work here at the Mountain Lair is Al Davison, who has just completed painting a double page spread for the Cromwell era thriller Blood Light. Al is currently looking for Blood Light writer Alexander to get some more script pages from him. This image is taken from the double page spread.

In sort of breaking news, Alan Grant, Jon Haward and Jamie Grant's humour strip 'Tales of the Buddha Before he became Enlightened' has found a home here at Renegade. The strips anarchic take on the young Buddha's hiatus in his quest towards enlightenment will be out digitally in April and hopefully in a nice print edition later in the year. As has become the custom, here's a little preview from the strip.

I am being ordered on pain of death to get back to shouting at creators to hurry up and get stories done, so I'll have to leave talk of Lovern and Greg's upcoming graphic novel Underworld, or our wonderful illustrated children's book 'Jacqueline the Crow' from Mandi Kuwaji and Claude St. Aubin till the next time I'm allowed near the blog tablets.

Head Goblin

Ordering The Loxleys and the War of 1812 graphic novel.

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:53:00 GMT

With production on the graphic novel entering the final few days, it is time to spread the word on how to get hold of this timely and lovingly created graphic novel.

The story follows the Loxleys, a Canadian family living in the Niagara peninsula as they're torn apart by the American invasion of Canada in 1812, and the subsequent war that raged across both countries as British troops, Canadian militia, and Native American warriors sought to thwart the expansionist plans of the American government. We're with the family through key historical events as they deal with the realities of war on their doorstep, the personal losses, setbacks, and victories tied to the conflict.

This historically accurate story written by Alan Grant and drawn by Claude St. Aubin will be a 176 page hardback book, with the comic strip story running to 101 pages, and a 64 page summary of the war written by Mark Zuehlke.

The ISBN is 978-0-9868200-0-7 and it will retail for $19.99.

Canadian schools and public libraries please contact our distribution partner Tinlids,

email them at: info@tinlids.ca or call them on: 1-800-461-9397

Comic Book Stores can order through Diamond Comic Distributors. The Previews Code will be available in early March.

Comic Book customers should pre-order the graphic novel from their favourite comic book stores using the same code once it is available, until then the ISBN is the best way to let them find out about the book.

US schools, museums, libraries and stores who don't have an account with Diamond Comic Distributors, please contact us directly for order info.

At the moment it looks like we will be supplying books to Chapters/Indigo in Canada, and to select independent book stores in North America. If any stores are interested in stocking the book, please contact us directly to discuss terms: contact@renegademail.com

So far we can confirm that Cafe Books in Canmore, Alberta, and McNally Robinson in Winnipeg will be stocking the book.

We'll be launching the graphic novel at the Calgary Entertainment Expo on April 27th, with artists Claude and Lovern joining us at our booth. We'll be holding launch events at book stores and 1812 Bicentenary events throughout the year. Please contact us if you're interested in partnering with us for an event.

As more book stores are confirmed we'll release a list with all the information. If there is a store, museum library that you think would like to know about the book please let them or us know.

Please also join us on The Loxleys and the War of 1812 facebook page for more previews, discussions with the creators, and breaking news.

John Bolton wants to share.

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:02:00 GMT

We may have locked John Bolton deep within the bowels of our Mountain Liar, only allowing him one hour of sunlight a week until he finishes painting the second book in the epic Shame trilogy, but we do talk to him occasionally. Our latest conversation revealed his current favourite panels from the pages completed so far. Below is a panel from page 11, actually to be completely honest it is page 11 pre the attentions of Tod Klein.

You may recognise the character featured from the first book Shame: Conception, (and if you haven't read the book yet, you should as it is really, very good) who has continued her evolution and transformation from innocent girl into powerful woman. John chose another panel to showcase too, you can find it on the Shame facebook fan page here. It introduces us to another character who has changed significantly since the fist book. If John continues to create stunning watercolour art for this book we may venture down to speak with him again, though he is happy to be left alone with just a candle, canvas and paints until the book is finished.