Finished cover for Issue 2 of UNMASKED

Here is the finished cover for issue 2 of 4 of UNMASKED!

Writer: Michael Sarrao
Art: John Broglia
Cover Colors:Nick Filardi
Interior Colors: Guiseppe Pica
Logo designs: Timothy J Daniel
Letterer: Kristyn Ferretti

CUSTOM APOLLO ACTION FIGURE

Recently I commissioned a friend of mine who makes custom action figures to create one of Apollo from my book GOD COMPLEX. The result was amazing. This has become one of my most prized possessions. As a kid my love for action figures was unparalleled. To have one of my very own characters become a toy is a dream come true. Check out these pics of the figure made by Tom Fury. You can find him on facebook and commission him to do a figure for you!

COMIC BOOK JONES SIGNING

Had a great time over the weekend. The signing at Comic Book Jones was a blast! It was great seeing the entire crew at the store. Thank you to Socko, Tiger, Gore and Waffle for having me! It was not only great seeing industry friends like Stephen Lindsay (Jesus Hates Zombies, Massive Awesome) and Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden) but meeting new friends as well like Franco (Tiny Titans) and Chris Giarrusso (G-Man, Mini Marvels)!!! It was also extremely awesome of Chris Giarrusso to sketch APOLLO from my Image comics book GOD COMPLEX for me! I'm a big fan of his art so this was a very cool part of the day.

I also want to thank all the great comics fans and CBJ regulars that came by and saw us! Without all of you, this would all truly be pointless. And thank you to Kevin for sending me this photo of a Punisher sketch I drew for him at the last CBJ signing!

Colored cover to ISSUE 2 OF UNMASKED!

Here is the cover to issue 2 of my latest project UNMASKED, written by Michael Sarrao. Colored by Nick Filardi. Art by me. Nick did a fantastic job (as usual) on this cover. Love getting an opportunity to work with him.

COMIC BOOK JONES STORE SIGNING!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18TH, THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO BE: 3rd ANNIVERSARY COMIC BOOK JONES STORE SIGNING AND PARTY! 2220 Forest Ave, Staten Island NY!! CHRIS GIARRUSSO (g-man, mini marvels) EVAN DORKIN (beast of burden, simpsons) FRANCO (tiny titans, patrick the wolf-boy) and MYSELF (zombie sama, god complex)! PLUS 25% off EVERYTHING IN THE STORE! I'll have copies of GOD COMPLEX# 1-7 and the TRADE PAPER BACK! PLUS GOD COMPLEX PRINTS! WOOHOO!

UNMASKED ISSUE 2 COVER

Here are the inks for the cover to Issue 2 of UNMASKED!

NEW COMPUTER, NEW ART!

Ok, well my computer problem has finally been corrected; I just went out and got a new one! So here is some art from the past few weeks. I was finally able to scan everything in. Enjoy!:

First up we have some inked pages from issue 2 of Unmasked! I'll be wrapping up this issue this week which means I am halfway through the project!

And some colored pages by Guiseppe Pica!

And finally here is a little sneak peek at my next project with writer Dan Berman! Preliminary designs but there will be more to come over the next few months!

SPREAD LOVE, ITS THE BROOKLYN WAY!

http://kingconbrooklyn.com/

Second annual KINGCON INDEPENDENT COMICS, ANIMATION & ILLUSTRATION CONVENTION in BROOKLYN! At the Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope. NOV 6/7. GO CHECK IT OUT, I sure as hell am.

Special guests include- CHRIS CLAREMONT, JONATHAM AMES, DEAN HASPIEL, KYLE BAKER AND MANY MORE!

No computer, Book Review Monday, Walking Dead...

Hey folks, I know its been a week since my last post but my computer basically $h*t the bed and I can't scan any artwork in to post here. I promise I'll get back to the art next week (which there will be PLENTY of). In the meantime here are some things I've been reading and watching this past week and felt I needed to share with everyone.

First up, Book Review Time: Michael Crichton's PIRATE LATITUDES.
Fun, fun, fun! From start to finish this novel had everything you need in a pirate story. It is a far far cry from the usual Crichton works but as always, he nailed it. Crichton really did his research on sea faring and the pirate genre. The story was written with the typical characters and themes that you would find in most high seas swashbuckling adventure tales but he found a way to write it with his own flair. It was very fast paced, almost too much however in some parts. There were moments when the scenes seemed a bit rushed, just to get them in there. I must say however, that the pacing did lend to the thrill a minute aspect that I can only guess was the author's intention. I say 'guess' because this book was released after Michael Crichton's death in 2008 and I wonder if it would have even been released if he were still alive. I am glad it was though, because I thoroughly enjoyed the read. From our confident and able 'Privateering' Captain to the back-stabbing, untrustworthy pirate traitor; from the sniveling English official to the fearsome Spanish Captain of the Caribbean seas; from an impenetrable island fortress to a really pissed off Kraken this book has every type of character and exotic locale you can think of in an adventure story. You can perfectly visualize every part of the Caribbean, from the waters to the inland. Crichton has a great way of bringing the Caribbean to life in this story. It was a very simple, quick and entertaining read. If you are in the mood for something lighthearted inbetween some heavier reads then I highly recommend this book. Heck, if you're just a fan of pirates then go steal yourself a copy of this treasure! Well don't actually steal it, that would lead to an uncomfortable night in central booking with a large man named Bubba. Go buy it and enjoy! My rating 3.5 out of 5- Would have given it a 4 instead of 3.5  but again, some parts were rushed.

The Walking Dead on AMC...

Man was that a great first episode as well a great adaptation of the series. A 90 minute episode that literally went by so fast that I not only felt like it was a half hour but I was hungering for more (no pun intended). I love how the series is going to tackle a zombie apocalypse from a more human, heart felt point of view. The scene where our main character, Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes, leans down next to a crawling zombie and with almost tear-filled eyes tells her that hes sorry that this has happened to her. It shows that these were once people and that this is a tragedy that they have to continue on as these monsters. However, zombies must be dispatched so you can easily guess what happens next. Speaking of the zombies, how AWESOME do they look in this show? Great make up and special effects on the zombie characters. I am definitely hooked and can't wait to see where they go from here and how true-to-the-comic they will stay. Thumbs up! 5 out of 5! Must watch. And for crying out loud, if you've never read the comic or any comic go pick it up. Expand your horizons, its a great book!

Book Review! Prince of Thieves (The Town) by Chuck Hogan

Starting up a new post here people! I will be reviewing books that I have recently read (both novels and graphic novels) right here on the blog. I feel it will break up the content I usually put on the site and add a bit of diversity. Hopefully it starts up some good conversation as well.

OK, our first book is THE TOWN (previously published as PRINCE OF THIEVES) by CHUCK HOGAN. If you have no idea what the story is about, here a is a quick synopsis without spoiling anything. Our main character Doug, is a bank robber (and recovering alcoholic) who has had enough of his criminal lifestyle in a town (Charlestown, Massachusetts) that seems to suck its inhabitants under and never lets go until they drown. During the opening heist, Doug and his crew kidnap a manager at the bank and eventually let her go. We quickly learn that Doug had been tailing her prior to the robbery and doesn't seem to be able to stop even after the job is done. Long story, short, he falls for her; even though he knows he shouldn't. Lucky for him he was wearing a mask during the robbery and when he 'accidently' meets here in a laundromat  she doesn't recognize him. She soon starts to fall for him and he ironically becomes the driving force that allows her to get over the traumatic experience she went through during the bank robbery. In turn, she becomes the guiding light that makes him want to permanently change his life and leave the Town forever. However, Jem, Doug's best friend and loose cannon crew member, has other plans for our main character; One final heist. A job so big that it will set them all up for life. Can Doug continue to lie to the girl he loves? Will this final heist be his last? Will the federal agent hunting him and his crew finally catch up to them? Can he truly leave the town that has been the only world he has ever known his entire life?
          I found this novel to be a fantastic read. The pacing and character development were spot on perfect. The heist scenes were a thrill a minute ride. Personally, when reading anything, my draw to a story is character. In The Town the characters oozed 'middle to low class street wise tough guys'.  Now, I have never stepped foot in Boston but being from what seemed to feel like a similar neighborhood in Brooklyn I quickly related to the gritty, down to earth street guys that Hogan so perfectly portrays here. From their mannerisms to every word they speak, you can easily tell that Hogan was very familiar with this town and its inhabitants. The dialogue, especially between the wise cracking crew, is absolutely true to form. I feel like I have met these men growing up in my home town around Flatbush Ave. The love story, which plays a tremendous role in this story (its not just about the heists guys) seems like such an impossible scenario at first. How can this woman possibly fall for the guy that psychologically screwed her life up so badly? But Hogan excels at debunking all doubts on the matter once the two start to hit it off. The narrative really delves into Doug's thoughts and you can feel his inner turmoil throughout the book. Every time he looks at her his heart breaks a little more for what he did to her. Now, I have not yet seen the movie but from what I hear it is a damn good film. Friends of mine that have seen the movie as well as read the book have all told me that while the movie is really good, they removed a lot of scenes that were extremely key to the story in the novel. The ending as well is different from what I heard. So if you have seen the movie but have not read the book, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It will definitely be worth it. My final rating: 4 out of 5. Must read.

Wonder Woman Day! Charity Auction

Hey generous, giving, human beings out there. Comic Fusion is hosting an East Coast Wonder Woman Day Charity event. They are auctioning 100's of original art from many of the industry's various talents! (Me included) Make sure you visit the site and bid on my Wonder Woman sketch (posted here) or someone elses, whatever tickles your fancy, as long as you bid bid bid!

http://store.comicfusion.net/wonder-woman-day.html

UNMASKED ISSUE 2 COLORED PAGES!

Here are some colored pages from the first half of issue #2 of UNMASKED! Colors by Guiseppe Pica. Let me know what you think of the knew project so far!

Commissions and Paypal!

Hey everyone, I finally set up my paypal account to recieve payments! I can now work on commissions pieces for you fine folks out there and you can pay by credit card! You don't even need to have a paypal account! Message me on Facebook or email me at jpbroglia@aol.com for more info and pricing!

GOD COMPLEX TRADE IS OUT TODAY!

Hey folks! More exciting news; The GOD COMPLEX TPB is out today! The entire series, all 7 issues, are collected in one volume for the very first time, NOW IN FULL COLOR! Did I mention its a monster sized volume with over 200 pages of story and bonus material? There is a brand new, 9 page, short story never seen before that delves into Apollo's back story! Written by Aaron Walker, drawn by yours truly and colored by Dan Berman, we finally get a look at the events that lead Apollo into making the most important decision of his life; BECOMING A MORTAL! Pick it up today at your local comic shop or just about anywhere online! Don't miss out! MY FIRST TRADE!

Here are a couple of great reviews from Uber-talents Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack!

Super thick! (thats what she said)

OoOOoO, dark and mysterious!

...and just because I didn't post them earlier, inked art from the short story (which appears in full color in the TPB)

NYCC 2010!

OK, NYCC has been over for two days now and I am still EXHAUSTED! What a weekend! It was my first con in over 2 YEARS!!! Getting married and buying a house set me back a bit lolol. But what a triumphant return! That was one of the best cons I have been a part of. Artist Alley was packed to the brim with amazing talent and seeing all my industry friends again after so long was amazing! I also got the opportunity to premiere the GOD COMPLEX TRADE a few days early! Sold a ton of copies and promoted the hell out of it! The official release date for the trade is tomorrow, the 13th! So be sure to grab a copy at your local comic shop or online! Meanwhile, I am going to post a few pics from the con...