Champagne Wishes 3.0

Welcome to the 5TH DIMENSION!

2010-11-20T19:27:00.000-08:00

For a couple of weeks now, I've been teasing on my Facebook page about a big announcement I've been planning on making. I intended to pull up the curtain on Friday but, because of deadlines and work commitments, didn't have the time to do it right.

So without further ado, here we go.

I'm very excited to announce that I'm a majority partner in a new publishing company, a little entity we decided to call 5th DIMENSION COMICS.

The key word in that sentence being "partner." While the bulk of the initial day to day operations/decisions fall to me, this new venture wouldn't exist without the trust and enthusiasm of a few old friends. So let me introduce them to you:

Comic book readers will remember the name DEV MADAN as the co-creator/penciller of the fondly remembered DC Comics series YOUNG HEROES IN LOVE. He's very busy these days running the entire video game industry from his secret headquarters in Seattle but he's agreed to lend his digital expertise to the company and his creative mojo to a super-secret project he's currently slaving away on. And where Dev goes, can the Young Heroes be far behind?

Personal friends will know well the names of my other two partners in this enterprise: STEVE DOBIEJKO and JOE (certified f'n awesome) PODVARNEY.

Facebook friends in particular know Steve as the ruthless bastard who cuts me to shreds with his wit and sarcasm every time I update my status. In reality, while he is every bit as ruthless, witty, and sarcastic as we're led to believe, he's also a shrewd business man and an original thinker who is lending his insight and acumen to the company.

Joe is our man of mystery. He's a lover, as the ladies will certainly attest. Rumor has it he spent some time in the underground pitfighting circuit and I once heard he killed a dog. Or maybe I once told someone Joe killed a man. Hard to say.

Joe also sports an impressive business acumen and has agreed to lend his reservoir of intelligence to our enterprise. It's not an overstatement to say that, literally, this company wouldn't exist without Steve, Joe, and Dev. While I'm mouthing off up front, they're the behind-the-scenes trio that have made the whole thing happen.

So...what about the company itself?

5th Dimension will be producing original, full-color graphic novels for the comic book and book store market. It's not our only objective but it's our primary purpose.

Our publishing plan is still taking shape but I can say we're going to roll out smart and, beginning in the February PREVIEWS, will have product listed for the rest of the calendar year. Graphic novels, lithographs, instructional DVD's and more beginning with the collected (and completely remastered) edition of ARMOR X by myself and Andy Smith.

I'll be talking a lot about ARMOR X between now and February. No need to spill the details right now but, suffice to say, if you read the original series, you've never read this ARMOR X before.

Initially, our content will also be available for digital download through Graphic.ly and we've got some surprises in store for what you're going to find when you enter 5th Dimension: Digital.

For now, I'm blowing the spider-webs off my blog and this will be the place where I'll be touching base to update everyone on what we're up to. Once the official website is up, I'll shift the party over there but if you'd be so kind0 please check back often for the latest goings on.

And most importantly, I want to hear from you! If you're an established comic book creator who wants to put together an original graphic novel, hit me up. If you're a new talent looking to break into the business, let's talk. If you run a comics news website and want to help spread the word, I'm ready to chat. If you own a comic book store, lets have some words about possible incentives to order and promote 5th Dimension product.

I'm easy to find at keithchampagne@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you!

Blog powers...REACTIVATE!!

2010-11-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

So it's never a good sign when it takes three tries to successfully remember one's login info and access one's own blog.

Anyway...lots of good coming down the pike and I'll be trying to update my blog at least once a week. Look for a big announcement next Friday, which off the top of my head is the 19th of November, where the first pieces of my master plan will be unveiled.

Come back, readers!

Dick Giordano

2010-03-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty wrapped up the past week with the new addition to our household, so much so that I only today learned that the great Dick Giordano passed away this weekend.

I never met Mister Giordano personally. Anything I know of the man was gleaned by religiously reading his editorials every month in the back of DC's books. He had left his position at the company before I started working for DC although I did actually ink him on a job for a Flash annual in the mid-90's.

Imagine that. Me inking one of the greatest inkers in the history of the comic book medium. And man, did I fuck it up. You ever want to talk about stagefright, that job was a classic case. Mr. Giordano was an artist whose work I studied for years. Every page he inked was a textbook in what an inker does. So you'd think I might have been a little more competent but sadly, that wasn't the case.

Nonetheless, I still have the originals filed away and it's a small joy of my career that our paths touched, at least briefly.

There are a lot of people who knew Mr. Giordano personally, who are more eloquent than I am, and will write about the man, the artist, the executive, and his accomplishments in much more touching fashion than I ever could.

I would just like to say that the name and work of Dick Giordano touched my life on a monthly basis for many, many years. I read his columns, I studied his work, I hoped that one day he might hire me if I were ever lucky enough to impress him with my samples. His passing leaves a hole in my youth (which is starting to look like Swiss cheese as more of my heroes pass away), and a void in this crazy little business that will never be filled.

I am deeply, deeply saddened by his passing.

As Dick would always say, "Thank you and good afternoon."

All the latest...

2009-12-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Working on a Sunday today, figured I'd take a break to pay attention to my poor blog. I neglect her badly but she's always here waiting for me.

Last week, Titan Books announced the WWE HEROES cycle of series I'm writing for them. Just google WWE HEROES, KEITH CHAMPAGNE and you're sure to get a million sites running the press release. I've literally never gotten more interview requests and congratulatory emails about a project before. Took me a bit by surprise, really. Anyway, I'll have more to say about it as we get closer to the release of the first issue in March but for now, I've finished the first five-issue series and am ramping up to start the second this week.

The Mighty is wrapped. Tomasi and I finished the dialogue to the twelth issue a few weeks ago and we're both very, very happy with the way things end. That should be out in just a month or so, right after the new year. I'll have more to say about the Mighty when #12 ships, kind of an epilogue sort of post. It's been a great ride, the book has been very warmly reviewed all the way through, and I can't wait to work with Chris Samnee again.

Peter and I have finished up the pitch for the project we want to write next. It's another creator-owned series and will be published by either DC, Vertigo, or Wildstorm. More on that when there's more to say.

And finally, Death Valley has been pulled from the schedule by Desperado as they retool their publishing plans in light of their alliance with IDW. I'd like to get the book out there but I understand their position and it doesn't hurt to have a little extra breathing room to get the art completely finished before we start shipping. The idea was floated last week to publish it as a graphic novel so we'll see what happens.

Nevermore? Who knows. Now that Dabel Brothers has been purchased by Dynamite, I'll be speaking to Nick Barucci this week to figure it out. Once I'm caught up on money owed, I'll be happy to finish the series. I like Dynamite and Nicky is one of the good ones in an industry full of not-so-good. I'm sure this story will have a happy ending--even if Bobby Godric (the lead in Nevermore) doesn't.

And that's all for now. Catch up to everybody soon.

Hitting many bases

2009-10-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

Been awhile, how's everybody doing out there? Thought I'd grab a few minutes on a miscellaneous day ( a day where I'm basically dotting t's and crossing i's...or something like that) to pop in and see what's shaking.

The Mighty #9 ships this Wednesday, I hope everybody will pick it up and are continuing to enjoy the story. Just four more issues until the end of 'Season One.' I shot my pass at the dialogue for #11 over to Tomasi this weekend, the amazing Chris Samnee has finished up issue #12, #10 is lettered and in the process of being colored so creatively, we're in the home stretch. The fit really hits the shan over the last handful of issues and I hope everyone feels that the long, slow build has been worth the wait.

In other news, Death Valley #1 is solicited from Desperado this month in the giant Previews phone book. It's my first western and I hope you'll come along for the ride and at least try the first issue. I don't think you'll be disappointed, especially if you like famous outlaws, ninjas, or famous outlaws fighting ninjas. A little something for the whole family in this one.

Moving on, I should know the issue number to this week's issue of Green Lantern Corp because I jumped in to ink a handful of pages and help beat the deadline crunch. Lots of fun inking my beloved Patrick Gleason and it's the first time we've worked together since I wrote and he drew our little Corpse story back in GLC #7-9. It's just as enjoyable to ink him as it is to write for him, I'm happy to say! I've inked a couple of pin-ups and covers over Pat over the years but this is the first time I've done interior work with him. Maybe I'll do some more in the future, I was surprised to find myself enjoying inking again.

Let's see...Dean Koontz' NEVERMORE from the Dabel Brothers should be a post unto itself. Not sure when #3 will arrive in stores but I'd imagine soon. Maybe I'll blog more about the behind-the-scenes on this project another time soon.

And lastly, for now, I'm going to accept a limited number of commissions for those interested. I'm often contacted by readers looking for personalized art and usually, I say no because I'm generally doing six hundred things on any given day and really can't squeeze in #601. But as an exercise in stretching my wings, I'm going to say yes to five or six. If you're interested, please email me at keithchampagne@gmail.com for prices/sizes/info for either a pencilled/inked piece or, if you have a previously pencilled commission you'd like inked, we can talk about that as well.

I'll try to pop in later this week to talk further about it but if I get sidetracked, I'll be appearing at Fallcon this coming weekend, Oct 9-11, in Minnesota. It's my third or fourth time being flown out for the show and Nick Post and his crew always put on a top notch convention. By all means, say hi if you're in the area.

More soon.
Keith

The Mighty #7

2009-08-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Such a busy week, I forgot to pop over here to the blog and alert the world that THE MIGHTY #7 is now in better comic book stores across the nation. So get out there and add it to your personal collection, it's what all the cool kids are doing this summer.

I turned 39 a few days ago and had a random thought. According to life insurance actuarial tables, my life is well over half over. Statistically speaking, most men die in their 60's. Women live a bit longer on average, can't imagine why that would be...

Anyway, it's strange to think that possibly over half my time on this ball of mud has passed. I still feel like I'm barely getting started in so many ways. Guess I better buckle down and start living and working myself a little harder while I still can.

Back to The Mighty, if you're inclined to comment on #7, I'm interested in hearing where people think the story is headed. No one is really sure what Alpha-One is up to but he's proven to be devious. But is he devious for the right reasons (if there is such a thing)? Is he doing wrong for the greater good? Let me know what you think.

In other news, I'll be resuming a more frequent blogging schedule come September. Wasn't too long ago that I used to post a couple of times a week. There's quite a bit going on behind the scenes and I should be able to start talking a bit more about it soon.

Introducing...DEATH VALLEY!

2009-07-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm blogging about something other than THE MIGHTY. Not that there's anything wrong with blogging about The Mighty, is there?

Anyway, there's an interview up today on Newsarama introducing my new creator-owned project, Death Valley. If you like old west Outlaws, Ninjas, or Old West Outlaws fighting Ninjas then this is definitely the comic for you.

As you all know, smaller independent titles like Death Valley are often overlooked in favor of the larger selling titles. So I'd appreciate it if you'd remember this little book when placing your comic book orders. It's a good one, I think you'll like it.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/070917-DeathValley.html

Mighty #6...plus Scoobysnacks!

2009-07-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Friends, nobles, and countrymen--

I come before you today--you, those stalwart men, women, and children who continue to read my blog in spite of the fact that I haven't updated it in far too long, to say thank you for checking back in. Now go out and buy The Mighty #6, on sale today, and watch the mystery of Alpha-One continue to grow. Is he good? Is he evil? Is he doing bad things for good reasons? Is he doing good things that appear, on the surface, to be bad? All these questions--and more--will be teased in front of your very eyes. Maybe some of them will be answered. Maybe you'll be left to come up with your own answers. Either way, hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

And if you happen to be looking for something a little more straightforward, check out the latest issue of Scooby Doo, also on stands today, where I've written a story called "From Russia With Glove." I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out and I enjoy writing Scooby and the gang quite a bit. It's a nice way to cleanse the pallet, free from choking continuity and massive crossovers. Had my fill of those for a while and, while I miss the royalty checks, I don't miss the headaches.

Thanks for checking in, enjoy the 4th, and let me know what you might think.

The Mighty #5

2009-06-02T17:56:00.001-07:00

As sucky of a blogger as I've evolved into being over the past few months, I'd be even suckier if I didn't mention that The Mighty #5 arrives in stores tomorrow, June 3rd, a day that will forever be remembered in history as MIGHTYDAY!

When last we left off in the world of The Mighty, it looked an awful lot like Alpha-One caused a massive car accident and then, under cover of the ensuing fire and conflagration, kidnapped a young girl and left a dead body in her place. Did we really see what we thought we saw? Or did we interpret Alpha-One's actions the way we've wanted to since first meeting him? After all, people have been saying he's "off" all along. And if he really did do something so horrible, could there be a justifiable reason for it? Who's to say Alpha-One wasn't saving the world from that girl in the car. Maybe she's a Skrull, did anyone ever think of that? Huh???

Only time will tell.

#5 marks the debut of new series artist Chris Samnee, who is ridiculously awesome and talented. If you're a fan of artists from the Toth school, you're going to fall in love.

#5 is also my personal favorite issue of the run to date (we've dialogued through #9 at this point). Which isn't to say that I don't like all the issues, because I've been really satisfied with everything up to this point. Just that #5 is when I really felt like we shifted into high gear. Here comes all the twists and turns, by all means enjoy the ride and let me know what you think.

And remember the name Taylor Rhines, first mentioned in #1.

The Mighty #4

2009-05-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

Before I get started working this morning, I should probably point out that THE MIGHTY #4, America's favorite little comic that could, arrived in stores yesterday. Don't have my copies yet either, let's have a race to the comic shop!

Some people are going to say that they saw the end of #4 coming a mile away, I'm sure. But just because you may have seen something happen doesn't mean you know why it happened. The direction of the book shifts pretty radically over the next four issues, then again over the course of the final four. So hang on tight and by all means, let us know what you think!

Thanks!

Nevermore

2009-05-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Oh, my poor, neglected blog...

I have in my hands, at long last, a copy of Dean Koontz' NEVERMORE #1, written by yours truly with art by Andy Smith, which arrived in stores last Wednesday. The first issue is 30 pages (instead of the usual 22 ) based on an original premise and characters created by Dean Koontz.

I think the first issue sets the stage pretty well for the series. First issues are always tough because there's so much stage setting to be done, it can leave little room for anything aside from pointing out who everyone is and what they want. I think we hit a nice balance by telling a complete story while still setting up the bigger picture.

Great coloring job over Andy's lush visuals, too.

I've got lots of blogging to catch up on, solicits for upcoming work to point out, Mighty thoughts to share etc. I should be back in the swing of updating fairly regularly again so if you're inclined, feel free to check back. And if you're a generous soul, try to find a copy of Nevermore #1.

Mighty #3

2009-03-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

I really should be sleeping but I need to unwind after a late night of work. So it seems like a good time to update my poorly neglected blog.

I have it on good authority that The Mighty #3 arrives in stores tomorrow, April 1st, for the fine and discerning reader. Please check it out. I just proofread #6 and wrote the dialogue for #7 and, while I'm extremely biased, I really feel like we're on to something special here.

I've also heard around the bend that the first issue of NEVERMORE arrived in stores last week. I haven't done much to promote this project, in spite of the fact that it's an original Dean Koontz concept and worth your time and attention, because I don't know much about when it's going to ship. I've inquired with the Dabels many times for those important little details because I'd like to pimp this book out. I'm actually having a great time writing it and I want people to read what I feel is a very good comic. But if I'm not in the loop, there's only so much I can do. I hope to get a copy or two of the first issue for myself soon. See if you can beat me to it.

Going back to The Mighty, I never wrote up my Director's Cut notes on the second issue so, here you go.

I found it interesting that many comments and reviews I read of the second issue pegged Alpha-One as evil. What did he do, how did he act that would be such a red flag? Everything he does can be accounted for on panel, or justified in his dialogue. I think people just like conspiracy theories.

Is Alpha-One aloof or awkward? Sure. Have you ever met someone new and had trouble making conversation, or weren't quite ready to be yourself around them? Why should Alpha-One be any different? That's the angle Tomasi and I were playing with, the awkwardness that is sometimes inherent in making friends. Alpha-One is literally alone in the world, there's no one else like him. It stands to reason he'd have a hard time relating to someone new, or letting his guard down, or warming up immediately. Give him some time to let his personality come through before you jump to conclusions. Like I said before, lots of twists and turns to come. Enjoy the ride.

2009-03-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

Haven't felt much like blogging lately. I think I'm currently falling under the category of not having much nice to say so I'm not saying much of anything.

I've kept busy but life has been a struggle since "leaving" Supergirl. After being promised for the past couple of months that something would be coming down the pike to replace the gig, I've now been told that won't be the case any time in the immediate future, that it just hasn't worked out the way that particular editor was hoping.

That's comics for you.

At least I can hold my head up knowing that I've always conducted myself with honesty and professionalism. Too many of my co-workers over the years can't look in the mirror and say the same.

Anyway, DC released their solicit information for the month of June so here's what's coming down the pike with The Mighty. We've got an amazing new artist stepping in to make the book shine, while Mr. Snejberg sticks around to provide the sequential storytelling. And if you recall, I mentioned in a previous post that the names Taylor Rhines and Dominic Deeds would return to play a roll? Well, here's where they pop up.

THE MIGHTY #5

Written by Peter J. Tomasi & Keith Champagne

Art by Chris Samnee

Cover by Dave Johnson

After last issue’s shocking finale, Gabriel Cole finds himself faced with a terrifying new threat. And it’s the only menace on Earth that his ally Alpha One can’t help him vanquish! Writers Tomasi and Champagne welcome the stunning art of new series regular Chris Samnee (CHECKMATE) as the saga of THE MIGHTY reveals its true shape!On sale June 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Check it out!

What?

2009-03-16T14:17:00.001-07:00

What? I have a blog??!? Heck, I guess I should update it sometime. Good thing no one is reading it!

2009-03-03T10:40:00.001-08:00

First of all, whatever happened to The Gerb?

Secondly, holy crap! The new Terminator movie looks 9 kinds of awesome. I had basically written the Terminator franchise off. Not to say that I don't enjoy the Sarah Connor Chronicles, I watch it once in a while, just that I thought the best days of the Terminator were far behind. But I gotta admit, the preview has me hoping...

Thirdly, my friend and frequent collaborator Andy Smith has started a blog at www.andysmithart.blogspot.com. He's posting lots of art so by all means, check it out.

Fourthly, I've been advised not to announce my new project yet so I will heed that advice.

Fifthly, MIGHTY #2 arrives in stores tomorrow. Please let me know what you think in the comments section or via email. Also, if you encounter and online reviews, I'd appreciate it if you left links in the comments section so I can check 'em out when time permits.

Sixthly, Pat Gleason is far too busy and important to play phone tag with me anymore. The loss of his long voicemail messages is my own personal Darkest Night.

That is all. You are dismissed.

Something different

2009-02-25T17:35:00.000-08:00

I have a small window of time coming open in my schedule in the near future, probably a week or two at most, and I've had something in the back of my mind for a while that I thought I'd give a try to. No, not dancing on tables...get your mind out of the gutter, Mr. Ninja!

I've been thinking off and on for a couple of months about offering my services as a consultant for artists or writers trying to break into comics but looking for some professional insight and work advice before they submit their work to editors. A professional critiquer (is that a word?), if you will.

Having written, pencilled, inked, and colored at different points in my career, and been working full time in this silly industry for sixteen years now, I feel I've got a little credibility backing me up. Keep in mind the old adage about opinions and assholes, though. I don't have all the answers but I do have strong opinions about what makes a good comic, from story on down to lettering. I've also got a lot of good survival tips when it comes to navigating what can be a backstabbing, two-faced, cutthroat business. My opinion certainly isn't the end all, be all of anything, but I figure maybe it's worth listening to.

Or not, I guess we'll find out.

So if you've got a pitch or script you're trying to get off the ground, some art samples you'd like to have critiqued, a comic you've produced and are wondering how to get it to a wider audience...and on and on, feel free to drop me an email at keithchampagne@gmail.com. I'm not sure what to charge for this kind of services, I need to ask around a bit with a few people I know who do this sort of thing, but I'm pretty sure no one will go bankrupt.

Next time I blog, I'm going to announce a new project.

Back to The Mighty

2009-02-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

DC releases their solicitations to May this afternoon so, real quick, here's Mighty #4 with my little comments after the blurb...

THE MIGHTY #4

Written by Peter J. Tomasi & Keith Champagne
Art by Peter Snejbjerg
Cover by Dave Johnson

Fire on the horizon! Cole’s wife Janet is beginning to have deep misgivings about her husband’s trust in Alpha One – but where can she turn? You won't believe this issue's shocking finale, as the world of THE MIGHTY suddenly becomes deadly. And we're just getting started!
On sale May 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Me again. See those words "SHOCKING FINALE," there? Well, the last page is where the larger picture of this story will suddenly slam into focus and the reader will get an idea of what they've actually been reading all along. Fasten them safety belts, here comes the ride!

What? Not about The Mighty?

2009-02-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

I don't usually try to think too far ahead of LOST and figure out all the different mysteries of the show. I'm content to just follow along at its own pace and enjoy the answers as they come. But as I was driving yesterday, I came up with half a theory I thought I'd put out there.

In the same way that John Locke has seemingly had to die to bring the Oceanic Six together and back to the island, what if Christian Shephard died to bring the original Lost crew to the island? I have no idea about the why of it but I like the cyclical nature of my theory.

Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.

Mighty comments

2009-02-10T17:21:00.001-08:00

Settling back in from my two weeks of travel and glad to be safely ensconced at home base once more. I took a few minutes tonight to do a quick skim of different comic review sites (thanks to "The Husband" for tipping me off to the CBR review) to see how the Mighty #1 is faring and I'm happy to see that readers seem pleased with the first issue. Very happy.

Last year, I did an online commentary track for the fourth issue of Arena and I thought I might try something similar for The Mighty, giving out my thoughts on each issue a week or so after it comes out. If you're already bored with reading about the book, have no fear! I'll blog about other boring things, too! I'm at least a two trick pony.

First issues are tough because usually, they involve so much stage setting and introduction of characters, that getting to the meat of the actual story can be a bit tricky, a balancing act that Tomasi in particular is good at. I think we established the overall tone of the book well, along with hinting at some character background that will come into play in a big way, and most importantly, establishing the mystery aspect of the story. I think people were also surprised to see that Alpha-One, the superhero of the story, is at least starting out in a supporting roll and that the lead has gone to Gabriel Cole.

Two names to keep fresh in the back of one's mind: Taylor Rhines and Dominic Deeds. Both are ex-captains of Section Omega who ended their tenure in very different ways, Rhines apparently going bugnuts crazy from the pressure while Deeds seems to have taken the Tom Clancy route with his retirement. Somewhere in the first five issues, these guys play into the story. It'll be helpful to remember them.

One comment I saw in a couple of different reviews was that the book felt very familiar, with Alpha-One being an analogue to Superman, and the fact that we homaged a few comic book tropes (Jimmy Olsen's signal watch, the more-powerful-than-a-locomotive iconography) to set the stage. Obviously, these were deliberate choices as was Alpha-One not actually speaking throughout, establishing him as a presence more than a personality. Peter and I want you to be comfortable, to feel like you immediately know and-- more or less--understand this world from a lifetime of comic book reading. There are layers to be peeled back and twists and turns coming. Just because you might vaguely feel like you've seen it all before doesn't necessarily mean you really know what you're seeing.

One other thing while I'm thinking of it. In our minds, PT and I wrote this series as chapters in a novel. Each issue is a different chapter in the overall story. It's paced a little differently than a regular comic as a result, another choice we deliberately made to serve the story better. I'd suggest if you like what you're reading, try to re-read the previous issue the night before you read the next one. If you're like me, you forget every detail of a comic you read in the four weeks it takes to get the next issue. I even sometimes forget the details of what I'm writing in the time between producing the next script. I've learned the hard way that a little refresher never hurts, that's all I'm saying.

Catch you next time, thanks for reading.

Mighty #1

2009-02-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

A brief layover back in CT on my two week world tour.

While I have a second, I wanted to ask everyone to please pick up a copy of Mighty #1, on sale this Wednesday. And let me know what you think in the comments section, by all means.

I'm a little partial but I really feel that by the time the fourth or fifth issue of this book hits and the story is really rolling along, people will feel it's the best title DC is currently publishing.

Let's find out if I'm right.

More Mighty

2009-01-26T19:43:00.001-08:00

Hmmmm...another post about THE MIGHTY. Noticing a trend here?

There's another article up on Ain't It Cool News regarding America's favorite new comic book. I didn't have much to do with this one. Tomasi put it together, it's a script to pencils to inks to colors guide to how a comic is made, using The Mighty as an example. Check it out if you're interested, here's the linkage:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39893

After all these years of blogging (three!), I still don't know how to insert a live link. I'm pretty pathetic.

In other news, I finished my last page of Supergirl #38 today, ending my professional obligation to the book. While I'm not happy with the way things have ended, I'm very proud of the run of work Jamal and I produced over the last few years, from Firestorm to Nightwing to Supergirl. Some artists I've worked with, it's a struggle to fit my style or sensibilities with theirs. Jamal's work always felt like a very natural fit with my style. But all good things come to and end eventually, even Big Poppa and I. So I'm shelving my pens and brushes to focus on writing full-time again. I've got a couple of new projects lined up with different companies and, I'm told, a third shaping up at DC. Let's see what the future brings.

I'll be travelling the world the next couple of weeks so blogging will be even more sporadic than normal. Eventually, I'll end up at the New York Convention, at least the final day of the show. No idea what my signing schedule might be but maybe I'll catch you there.

Take care. THanks for reading.

Coming in April...

2009-01-19T15:59:00.000-08:00

THE MIGHTY #3

Written by Peter J. Tomasi & Keith Champagne
Art by Peter Snejbjerg
Cover by Dave Johnson

Alpha One may be the most powerful being on the face of the planet, but emotionally, he’s vulnerable – and he needs a friend he can trust. His ally Gabriel Cole, who has just officially taken command of Section Omega, is becoming that friend. But neither man knows the danger they tempt by inviting each other into their homes. And what amazing secrets are hidden in Alpha One’s underground headquarters?
On sale April 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Follow me to victory

2009-01-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

Hey.

You.

The one reading this post right now. Do you read my blog on a regular basis? Do you see that list of followers over to the left hand side of this entry? Do me a favor, join the club, and officially follow me. If I get enough people, I'm interested in starting a cult (I make GREAT kool-aid!!). We'd need a good name for our cult, a robust health and dental plan, and a large tract of land to commune on (hopefully somewhere warm). And we can do cool things like wear robes, debate Superman versus Thor, and get tax breaks from the government.

But it all starts with you. I promise not to poison anyone or marry all the ladies (sorry ladies). I also promise to have movie nights every other weekend. So follow me to victory!

Gone in sixty seconds

2009-01-11T18:00:00.001-08:00

The latest news is I'll be leaving Supergirl after issue #38. I'm not sure if I'll be completing the entire lead story. I'd like to but am leaving for vacation on February 1st. The way work dribbles in on the book, I don't know if I'll have the entire issue to finish before I go.

Based on some recent developments in my personal life, it's not the greatest time for me to be leaving the book--and the steady paycheck of a monthly--but the decision wasn't mine this time. I could bore you with the backstage shenanigans but there's a reason they're called backstage shenanigans. Because, y'know...it's mischief and it's behind the scenes. Anyway, I wish the team nothing but luck.

So...what's next for me? That's in the process of being worked out but rest assured I'll land on my feet. Always have, always will. I've been moonlighting as a writer for a video game company the past year, I plan on devoting more time to that work and I expect you'll be seeing me focus on writing more comics and inking less. I think I prefer to sit in the driver's seat...not the ejector seat.

Stay tuned for the further adventures of America's favorite writer/inker!

2009-01-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

Let's see...what to blog about?

I'm in the middle of dialoguing THE MIGHTY #5 and it's one of those nights where coming up with words for the balloons feels like pulling teeth from the all-powerful Zeus. I wish I had something witty to follow that up with but it's just not flowing. Or actually, it is. It's just flowing in a really bad, upset stomach kind of way. Frustrating.

I'm interested in hearing what everyone's New Year's resolutions are this year, if you're the type of quasi-anonymous blog readers that make New Year's resolutions. Aside from my plan to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS in '09, I'm going to finally build (or have built) my website because all the cool kids have one these days. I'm also going to be more interactive with the comments on this blog. Too often, I skim through but don't reply to anything. So I'll make an effort to be more polite. I guess the same could apply to returning phone calls, which I'm pretty horrible at doing promptly.

Aside from work-related stuff, on a personal level, I'm going to massage my self-esteem this year. I think waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too highly of myself, it's really sick how awesome I am. Or maybe the opposite. So I got to thinking it may be healthy to round myself off to a more normal level, either way. And if I don't have anything nice to say, I'm not going to kill myself to say something nice.

How about you?

Good Riddance!

2009-01-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

Good riddance to 2008. I'm not even going to give it a goodbye hug, just a swift kick in the ass on its way to the slush pile.

2008 was probably my most frustrating year professionally of any of the 16 years I've now spent working in the comic book field. It was a year full of behind-the scenes soap opera and politics and battles that I fought--most of which I lost. Many were the times I questioned why I even continue to work in comics, a field where hard work and merit seem to count for nothing most of the time, and the best answer I could come up with is: I'm too stubborn to quit. I'm a cockroach, I've worked too hard and too long at this to tuck my head and call it a day.

As various projects I've been working on were killed or delayed indefinitely, it became hard not to feel like I've had some kind of dark cloud over my head. And just as I thought I had escaped to a fresh start in 2009, 2008 kicked me in the balls one last time. Jamal knows what I'm talking about.

So bring it on, 2009. Hit me with your best shot. I'm refocused, I'm standing tall, I'm smiling, and I'm not going anywhere. This is the year of THE MIGHTY. This is the year JOKER: YEAR ONE will (finally) arrive. NEVERMORE starts in March. There are more projects shaping up on the horizon and, while I've learned the hard way not all of them will see the light of day, that doesn't mean I won't stop fighting.

Dirty this time.

By the way, my new year's resolution is to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS in 09. If anyone has any tips how to go about it, by all means share.

Happy New Year!

Ain't The Mighty Cool?

2008-12-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Tomasi and I recently did an interview with the comic people over at Ain't It Cool News to promote The Mighty. Here's the linkage, enjoy!

http://www.aintitcoolnews.com/node/39547

2008-12-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

Ramping up to begin blogging again. DC Comics released their solicits today for books shipping in March 09. Hard to believe a new year is almost upon us already. I won't be sad to see 08 end, I'm looking forward to a symbolic fresh start.

So here's what we've got in March...

THE MIGHTY #2
Written by Peter J. Tomasi & Keith Champagne
Art by Peter Snejbjerg
Cover by Dave Johnson
Section Omega is in chaos, and Lt. Cole and the hero known as Alpha One must work side by side for the first time! But in his quest to bring murderers to justice, Cole is in way over his head! When the two locate the villains responsible for the recent trouble, the fight doesn’t go as planned, and Cole finds that being partnered with the world’s greatest Super Hero isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. The consequences of their first battle together will leave even the great Alpha One shaken!
On sale March 4 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

SUPERGIRL #39
Written by Sterling Gates
Art by Jamal Igle & Keith Champagne
Cover by Joshua Middleton

“Who is Superwoman?” part 3! Supergirl continues her manhunt for Reactron, determined to bring him to justice for the heinous crimes he committed in “New Krypton”!
Meanwhile, Lois Lane and Inspector Mike Henderson investigate the appearance of a dead body in Metropolis Harbor. Whose body is it and what could it have to do with the new Woman of Steel? Find out as the big mystery of 2009 continues!
On sale March 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Nevermore

2008-11-28T05:13:00.000-08:00

The Dean Koontz project I'm currently writing was officially announced. Here's the link to my interview with Vaneta.

Don't worry, Pat. I'll be returning to semi-regular blogging in another week or two.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/110826-Nevermore.html

Introducing...THE MIGHTY.

2008-11-17T13:42:00.001-08:00

We interrupt this break in blogging to direct your attention to the Newsarama interview Tomasi and I did to introduce THE MIGHTY to the world.

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/110817-The-Mighty.html

The question is...have I driven everyone reading my blog off until early next year?

Logging off

2008-10-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I've got a lot on my plate in the foreseeable future so I'm going to be taking a little hiatus from this blog. Not sure for how long, I'll probably get back to it on a semi-regular basis early in the new year, maybe a little sooner. Right now, it just feels like one more thing and I'm at a point where I need a few less things to worry about. Aside from email, I'm more or less going offline for a bit to refocus and get my legs underneath me again.

Aside from the Ghostbusters at IDW and Supergirl with Jamal, I have a few new projects that will come to light between now and the new year: The Mighty at DC, a Dean Koontz property that I'm writing for the Dabel Brothers, and a creator-owned book I'm producing with Shawn Moll for Desperado. As they're announced, please keep an eye out for the requisite interviews, etc. If I have a chance, I'll pop up to talk about each of them a bit here.

Enjoy the break from my semi-regular postings, be well, and thanks for reading.

Keith

Thoughts?

2008-10-17T11:55:00.000-07:00

So...anyone have any thoughts about Ghostbusters #1?

I've been tagged...

2008-10-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

OK, before I get into this tag stuff, let me just say that I was wrong about the release date of the Ghostbusters last week. It comes out this Wednesday, the 15th. Newsarama had posted the wrong info last week and, being the dullest knife in the drawer that I am, I bought it hook, line, and sinker.

Anyway...tag.

It's come to my attention that I've been tagged in a blog game by my beloved Pat Gleason's wife, Emily. I'll be honest; normally, I would feign ignorance and move on with my life. But I'll be a sport and play along because I hold the entire clan Gleason in the absolute highest regard possible. So here you go, Emily...

1.Post the rules on your blog
2.Write 6 random things about yourself
3.Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4.If you are tagged, just do it, and pass the tag along!

1- The very last thing I do when I go to bed every night, after brushing and flossing and taking out my contact lenses, is check on Jack, give him a kiss on the forehead, and whisper "daddy loves you" in his sleeping ear.

2- Speaking of sleeping, while some people count sheep when they can't fall asleep at night, I often visualize myself punching a heavy bag and counting the punches/combinations until I doze off. I'm pretty sure that means I have ridiculous amounts of anger shoved down deep into my soul.

3- When writing, I check my email compulsively, every 10-15 minutes. I find the quick mental distraction actually helps me maintain my creative focus over the longer haul of a day's work. When inking, I check my email every 3 hours or so.

4- I've been training in jiu jitsu for about five years now. In that time, I've torn the ligaments in my left ankle, separated my rib cartilage three times, broken my left ring finger, have slightly cauliflowered my left ear, have been flash KO'd once by a wayward knee to the temple, and have sustained countless bruises and scrapes. And I love every minute of it!

5- When I see pictures of myself, especially as I'm getting older, I honestly feel I look like Frankenstein.

6- I will die with no regrets unless I severely mess this whole father thing up and scar my boy for life.

So there you have it. Six random things about me.

Now, according to the game, I get to tag six people. So...I choose Tom, Jamal, Karin Yamigawa-Madan, Chris Yeoman, The Gerb, and Malinda. Dawn, you're lucky you don't have a blog or I would have tagged you.

Over and out!

Some Fallcon pics

2008-10-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

A couple of pics from the wilds of Fallcon...

Myself and Lewis (in his signature hat) in the one pic ever where a little red eye actually works pretty well, and Alisha and Raeanne, two of my biggest fans.

They actually parked outside at midnight the night before the show and slept in their car to make sure they were first in line at my table when the convention started. Just to mess with them, I refused to sign any of the books they brought, claiming I had severe carpal tunnel and couldn't hold a pen. Alisha actually started to cry! I couldn't help but laugh. To make it up to them, I agreed to let them get their picture with me. You would have thought they died and went to Heaven.

True story, scout's honor!

I ain't afraid of no ghosts!

2008-10-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

I was going to write up my Fallcon recap (great to see the Minnesota Wrecking Crew but I was sick as a dog the whole time) but when I went online this morning, I was greeted by a bunch of emails letting me know there was a five-page preview of Ghostbusters #1 posted on Newsarama. So here's the linky dinky (isn't that a Teletubbie?)...

http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=23126

I was under the impression the first issue was due to arrive in stores on October 15th but, as usual, I'm wrong. It's actually out tomorrow. So be sure to go out and buy multiple copies of the greatest Ghostbuster comic to arrive in stores this entire year! OK, it's the only one to arrive in stores so far this year but I still think it's pretty decent.

Ironically, if one were to survey the pop culture landscape, they'd see quite a bit of Ghostbuster stuff popping up. We're first out of the gate with the new comic, followed by the video game, and there's a lot of talk that a third movie is being written. Kind of cool!

Hope you enjoy the preview and GB #1. Let me know what you think.

Fallcon or bust!

2008-09-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

While I've got a few minutes, it seems like a good time to mention that I'll be appearing this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday, at FALLCON in Minnesota. For those keeping score at home, this is my third year in a row attending. I've had a great time the first two years so it makes me wonder what kind of charm the third will be.

This is Fallcon's big 20th anniversary show and it seems like they're blowing the roof off in terms of their guest list. Even Tomasi is making a rare convention appearance for the show which--I believe--has been moved to a bigger venue to accomodate (sp?) the larger crowds they're expecting. And of course, my beloved Minnesota Wrecking Crew will be out in full force and I'm looking forward to catching up with the boys.

Last year, I remember the show being ridiculously hot and humid which seemed ironic, seeing as it's Minnesota in October. I remember Moira showed me the coolest letter ever, a reply she got from Julie Schwartz when she was younger. And how can I forget Lewis (and his hat), who I enjoyed chatting with off and on over the course of the weekend. Who knows what kind of memories this year will bring? Prince Valiant (he better be there)? Mud wrestling (my money is on Mahnke!)? A wedding ceremony (I believe a couple is actually being married after the show on Saturday). I guess you'll have to be there to find out with me!

Seriously, Nick Post puts on a great show. Hope to see you there. I'll update next week with pics and maybe an announcement or two.

Thanks for reading,
Keith

What a trip!

2008-09-22T19:21:00.001-07:00

My twenty year high school reunion has come and gone and I had a great time mingling with old friends and learning what many of the faces and names of my childhood have gone on to accomplish in their lives. It's heartening to see so many doing well and aging gracefully. I was initially reluctant to attend the reunion because I wasn't sure what I would really have in common with anyone anymore. But like a bad Disney movie (thanks, Matt Damon), at the end of the day I learned an important lesson. Old friends are the best kind. We're all the same, cut from the same cloth, and there's an instinctive comraderie among those who went through puberty together.

So in the spirit of high school, here's a few official MHS class of 88 awards. And while these names won't mean anything to the comic book readers of my blog, I learned that more than a few of my old friends read this stupid thing. So this one's for them.

Best Orange Pants (and full back tattoo): Stephan Dobiejko.
Person I would never have recognized walking down the street (female): Marisol Montalvo.
Person I would never have recognized walking down the street (male): Brett Chism.
Person who looks exactly the same (male): TIE! Lance Baier and Joe Calash.
Person who looks exactly the same (female): Jen Ramos.
Lowest percentage of body fat: Heather Stevens.
Person I didn't get to catch up with but really wanted to: Lou Rollins.
Person with the most obscure shared childhood memory: Liz Nagengast (who remembers how my brother Kenny was bumped from our farm system team to little league because he was way better than we were.)
Joker: Year One: The mysterious prestige format project Doug Mahnke and I have been working on for DC (Still paying attention, comic readers?).

And in closing, in a nice bit of symmetry, the pic on this entry is my friend Dawn and I, all grown up from the earlier pic of us going to our freshman homecoming dance. My haircut is a little better this time around. By next time, I probably won't have any hair at all.

Good times. Thanks, guys.

Some new links...

2008-09-19T13:46:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to add a couple of new links below to noteworthy blogs that I think are worth the time. But I'm a busy, forgetful little fella who really only thinks about himself so I haven't done it yet.

First up is www.warrenmartineck.blogspot.com. Warren is a friend of mine and one of my former roommates at the Kubert School. He's one of America's leading sketch card artists, I'm always amazed at how much detail he can cram into one of those little image areas. He's also branching back into comics so I say keep on eye on his blog and watch where he ends up in a couple of years.

Secondly is www.Chrissamnee.com. I haven't met him personally but I'll be working with Chris on a project for DC in a few months time. I've gotten to know his work through his blog. Don't know how he finds time for the daily sketches but they're all sweet and I admire his dedication to posting one every day. So check that one out, too.

Over and out for now. Don't worry, I'll go back to talking all about myself next time.

Mighty good news

2008-09-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

I've known about this for a while so, feeling guilty that I've barely blogged in the past few weeks, let me spill some more beans about THE MIGHTY.

First, you may ask yourself "what in the wide world of sports is The Mighty?"

Well, The Mighty is a new, ongoing series at DC. It's co-written by myself and Pete Tomasi, or as he likes to be called in the credit box, "Peter J. Tomasi," with some great art by Peter Snejberg. Trust me, it's cool stuff.

Anyway, we've been plugging away in the shadows on The Mighty for about a year now so I'm happy to report that we're far enough ahead that we're the book is now on the schedule. The first issue will be solicited in October and published in January. I'm excited to get it out there, I feel like I've had a really cool secret I've been dying to share for too long.

So keep an eye out! There will be plenty more details coming soon as we begin to promote the book. Tomasi and I own this one so we're both very committed to getting the word out and building some buzz.

So, yeah...

2008-09-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

So, yeah...not much to blog about lately. Anyone got any topics of interest worth discussing?

Coming soon...

2008-08-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to announce that the collected edition of ARMOR X will finally see print as part of Chimaera Studios "Signature Line."

Details to come.

I'm planning on taking a "Director's Cut" approach to the collection. Aside from some odds and ends at DC, ARMOR X (trivia: The X is actually the roman numeral for ten) was my first real writing work I had published in comics. It's hard to look at it now and not see a lot of warts. So I'm going to fresh it up a bit and make it shine.

Hopefully, if the trade performs we'll finally get to produce the next series (of three that I originally intended on).

the NEW greatest picture ever!

2008-08-22T10:30:00.001-07:00

Jack drew me a picture of a really scary monster a couple of days ago. To me, it's better than looking at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I'm particularly proud of the bellybutton, eyebrows, and five fingers on each claw.

The kid is a GENIUS!!

The best picture ever!

2008-08-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

As the 20 year high school reunion for my class gets closer, a networking website has sprung up where former classmates can say hi, post pictures, that kind of thing. So here's a doozy that made me laugh out loud when I saw it.

This is my friend Dawn and I shortly before going to our freshman year homecoming dance. All I can say is WOW!! Fourteen year old Keith Champagne was not only quite a ladies man, he was also an icon of style! I don't know what's up with my hair, I remember it used to flip up quite a bit as it got longer but man...that's something special.

Tom, if we see Prince Valiant at Fallcon this year, he and I will have something to bond over. Turns out I was rocking that haircut 20 years before he was!

For all the Ghostbuster fans out there...

2008-08-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Because my blog has been overrun by Ghostbuster fans, here's a little something to keep you all fed. I'm not going to leave it up here indefinitely, just for a day or two, maybe less if IDW asks me to take it down. So consider it an easter egg and enjoy it while you can.

Nice work by Tom, isn't it?

A quick reminder

2008-08-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder that SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1 comes out today, with an eleven page Aunt May story written (and inked) by me and pencilled by Shawn Moll. I've yet to read it all put together so I hope it worked out OK. Let me know what you think.

Also, I believe the collected edition of Countdown Arena arrives in stores today. Everyone loves to shit on Countdown these days so I'm proud that Arena was one of the more popular of the offshoot series. Can't win 'em all but more people seemed to enjoy it than not.

That's all for now...

Two Birds With One Stone

2008-08-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

I noticed on the comicbloc message boards that there was a thread about what questions/topics readers wish had been addressed at the DC panels in San Diego last weekend. Since a couple of them concern me, I instantly had the idea I would steal the topic and give myself something to blog about over here. So thanks to "oddballUK," the one who started the thread.

The first question/statement was:

Keith Champagne has mentioned on his blog an upcoming DC project with Doug Mahnke that has yet to be announced.

Yeah, tell me about it! This project is completely written and, to date, Doug has drawn about a third of it. The work he's done so far has been absolutely STUNNING, the best of his career. The problem here is that Doug was needed more urgently for a couple of Final Crisis books and he's then been booked onto some Green Lantern stuff. The hope is when those obligations are finished, he'll have the time to finish our project. It's going to eventually be published in the prestige format, it's related to Gotham City, and even if I wrote a shitty book, Doug's art will make it well worth the wait.

And although this next one doesn't seem to be related to me, it actually very much is...

I was hoping for more info on Peter Tomasi's creator owned book for DC and something more concrete on the fate of the Nightwing book post-#150.

I can't speak for the fate of Nightwing post-150 but that ol' grizzly bear Tomasi has already named the creator-owned book in interviews. It's called THE MIGHTY. It's a twelve-issue series, not set in the DCU, co-created, co-written, (and co-owned) by Peter and myself, which is why I feel comfortable covering it here. Tomasi and I have written a few things together outside of comics, this is our first time doing it for DC. Peter Snejberg is about halfway done with the art for the fourth issue at this point and that's all I should say for now.

Over and out!

Ghostbusters!

2008-07-27T18:44:00.001-07:00

At the San Diego Convention over the weekend, IDW announced during their Saturday panel that I'm writing the revival of the Ghostbusters, a four-issue series we tagged GHOSTBUSTERS: THE OTHER SIDE, beginning in October.

Here are some links to interviews about the project. I even got interviewed by MTV for this one, kind of a nice change of pace. I still heart Vaneta the most though, she always does the best job and one Newsarama reader even called me a douchebag in the comments section. Gotta love my adoring public!

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080727-GhostbustersIDW.html

http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17427

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2008/07/26/exclusive-the-ghostbusters-return-to-comics-and-weve-got-your-first-look/

I've done a lot of soul searching this year over the type of projects I want to write, something I'll probably blog about more at a later date. The key for me though, my new manifesto in terms of writing gigs can be boiled down into one word: FUN.

Writing Ghostbusters is pure fun and working with Chris Ryall/IDW (and now, Andy Schmidt) has been an absolute pleasure. Top it off with getting to work with my friend Tom on art and I've stumbled into a great situation with this project. I'm a lucky bastard, plus I get paid thousands of dollars a decade!

Speaking of fun, I have another announcement to make but I wanted to hold off until after the San Diego show so it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle. Maybe in another week or so, maybe even on my birthday would be appropriate.

Thanks for reading and if you see any ghosts, give me a call!

Who Watches The Watchmen?

2008-07-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

I do!

I just saw the first Watchmen trailer and it literally took my breath away.

...Does whatever an old lady can...

2008-07-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

I've gotten kind of jaded over the years to seeing my name on covers or in solicitations, that sort of thing. But I have to admit, I got a little tingle when I saw Marvel's solicitation for this book. I actually started my career at Marvel back in 1993, haven't done any work there at all since '98, and have never written for the company ever.

So to me, this is really exciting! I'm now an extended part of Spider-Man's family!

Your Spidey-Senses are about to tingle a bit more with the debut of Amazing Spider-Man Family #1! Exploring the lives of Spider-Man and the rest of his Brand New Day cast, this brand new series kicks off with 104 pages of friendly neighborhood action! What happened the day after Uncle Ben died? J.M De Matteis & Alex Cal have the answers! And what was life like for Mr. and Mrs. Parker before May “Mayday” Parker was born? You’ll get he answer, courtesy of Tom DeFalco & Ron Frenz! Take a look back at the origin of Venom and a special Aunt May Story by Keith Champagne & Shawn Moll! Plus, your first look inside the Marvel Apes universe, as Karel Kesel & Ramon Bachs, the creators behind September’s simian sensation, reveal the secret origin of Spider-Monkey!

Wrapped up in a jaw dropping cover by Adi Granov, Spidey fans can’t miss the all new Amazing Spider-Man Family!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1 (JUN082310)
Written by J.M DEMATTEIS, TOM DEFALCO, KEITH CHAMPAGNE & KARL KESEL
Penciled by ALEX CAL, RON FRENZ, SHAWN MOLL & RAMON BACHS
Cover by ADI GRANOV
RATED A…$4.99
FOC—7/17/08, On-Sale—8/6/08

A potpourri

2008-07-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

The last month or two has been grueling healthwise but I think I've finally got this Lyme Disease out of my system. Aside from some aching joints in my fingers and my knees feeling like an old man, I seem to be pretty much back to myself. So a word to the wise from your Uncle Keith, kids. If you've got an insect bite on your body that, instead of going away, grows to the size of a softball, get it checked out before it turns into a bulls eye. Trust me, you won't regret it.

On the work front, I've spent the past week or so inking an 11-page Spidey/Aunt May story (that I also wrote) over Shawn Moll which I'm pretty sure makes me the only writer alive to have worked with the entire Minnesota Wrecking Crew. I believe this story will be out in August in the new Spider-Man Family anthology book, with guest appearances by my two brothers, Kenny and Kyle, and my niece Samantha, all of whom have characters named after them.

All of which is a good warm up to get back in the inking swing of things, as I'm expecting to start Supergirl over the next week or two (Am I close, Jamal?). Anyone who reads my blog knows I love working with Jamal but on our next project together, I think we need to switch things up and work as writer/penciller instead of penciller/inker. Hear me, Big Poppa?

The San Diego Convention is looming and, while I won't be there this year, I should have at least one, possibly two writing projects announced. The first is a project that I'm writing for IDW and the second is a creator-owned series, a western that's already attracted quite a bit of Hollywood interest. Which means nothing, really, but it makes me feel cool to pretend I'm a player. There's also a chance that DC will announce one of two projects I'm writing although I've learned not to get my hopes up there the last few months.

While I'm thinking of Supergirl, let me take another stab at posting the Supergirl promo that Jamal and I did. I freely admit I got a little lost interpreting the mountain peaks, sorry they suck. I'm a little rusty but Rome wasn't built in a day.

That's all for now, unless you're my favorite moral authority. Then you must finish reading this and TURN TO THE RIGHT!

Look! Up in the sky...

2008-06-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, DC Comics announced the new Supergirl creative team at the Chicago convention. So let me throw my name in the mix, because inkers don't really get acknowledged in that context.

So...for the seven people that care, I'll be digging out my brushes and pens and coming out of inking "retirement" to join Team Supergirl. Jamal was nice enough to call and ask if I'd be interested and when Big Poppa asks, I say "How High!"

I worry about having the time to properly handle a monthly book again. I'm simultaneously juggling a few different writing projects with five more in various stages of development but, let's face it: having too much to do is the best kind of problem to have in this business. I'm hoping to produce the first six issues with Jamal and then pick my head up, look around, and see what kind of shape I'm in.

So keep one eye up in the sky...we'll try to put together a good book for everyone to read.

(PS- a blogspot "internal error" is keeping me from posting the inked Supergirl promo piece. I'll pop it up when I can.)

Hamsters #4

2008-06-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm a little behind the eight ball on this one but it's worth mentioning that Black Belt Hamsters #4 arrived in stores last Wednesday. I've had a hard time plugging this book because I'm never quite sure when they're going to ship.

But the eagle has landed.

Honestly, this entire issue was one big punchline built around the old Richard Gere Hamster rumor, the character of Richard's last name was even "Gear, " spelled differently to avoid any legal problems. Dynamite got squeamish at the last minute and removed any references to Richard Gere or Gear, which is fine. It's their company, their call to do. But as a result, I'm not sure the big joke makes a lot of sense anymore. I'm hoping if/when the Hamsters is collected, I can go back into the dialogue and find a way to make it work again.

I hope the future will bring more Hamsters my way. I had a great time writing the book, working with Tom, and trying to make Don Chin laugh. Thanks to Dynamite for making it happen, love those guys.

Turn to the right!

2008-06-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, I really suck at blogging this month. Even my Adventure Con recap is way overdue.

Well, anyway...

Adventure Con came and went and a good time was had by all. I enjoyed spending time with Doug and Pat and Tom and Andy and Dev and Jamal during and after the show, as well as meeting Michael Golden, Mark Texeira (the funniest man alive), and Arthur Suydam. I never knew Doug Mahnke could bring a man down with the smooth, dulcet tones of his singing voice but his serenade reduced me to tears of hysterical laughter.

The comic readers down in the Knoxville area seem to be about as nice as they come. I'm used to people lying and saying they enjoy my work but I almost believe the Knoxville-ians. It's nice to also see the familiar faces of people that I met last year at this same show, sort of a small family of friendliness down south. I got to meet a few of the media/movie guests and the Smith and Pyle concert after hours on Saturday was a blast. A big thanks to Brandon Mysinger for setting the whole thing up and bringing us all down to Tennessee for the show. I hope to be back next year.

On the work plate this week, I'm finishing the script for the first issue of a project Andy Smith and I are doing for IDW. I'd like to get a couple in the can before I make my return to the monthly inking grind next month, reuniting with Big Poppa himself on our new assignment for DC. And anyone who thinks the only thing Jamal can do is draw has never seen that man dance!

That's about all the up I can think to date at the moment. So, one last thing just for you, Pat (you know it's coming...)

TURN TO THE RIGHT!

Adventure begins

2008-06-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the few that posted below in the Artist Wanted thread. It looks like in this case, the mountain came to me and I think I'm all set. I'm sure I'll post more about this project in the coming days.

Off to Adventure Con in Knoxville Tennessee in literally ten minutes. Got to head to the airport and hit the skies. There's a great crew of comic book artists attending, including my beloved Minnesota Wrecking Crew of Doug Mahnke, Pat Gleason, and Tom Nguyen. Big Poppa Jamal Igle and my frequent collaborator, Andy Smith will also be in town, as well as many others. It was a fun show last year and this year looks to be bigger and better.

Back soon!

Artist wanted

2008-06-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to be a comic book artist? Or maybe you are a working artist in the wonderful field of comics and are looking for a project to draw on the side. Or perhaps your mother has long harbored a secret dream of drawing comics and you want to help her to achieve that elusive, life long goal.

Well, I'm looking for you, pal! (or your mother.)

Leave your contact info or website/portolio link in the comments section and I'll touch base with you soon after. If you think I'm an astonishingly gifted writer that you need to work with before you die and also have a love for the old west, we might just be soulmates.

Thanks!

Lost

2008-05-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

Wow.

The Lost season finale was all kinds of great!

Green Corpses

2008-05-22T17:59:00.001-07:00

So let's talk about Green Lantern: The Corpse for a minute or two.

I logged into the comicbloc message boards for the first time in a while this morning and was surprised to see this thread:

http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58912

Go ahead and check it out. I'll wait.

It shouldn't be but it's surprising/amusing to me that a one-on-one conversation that I had at a small convention in New Hampshire last weekend has grown to include so many different people with so many different opinions and theories as to why this project was killed. Seriously, thanks for caring so much about it, even those of you who seem to think I suck at this writing thing. You try writing something like WWIII or ARENA and see how you do, tough guys! :)

I'm not going to go into the behind the scenes stuff on this because, well, that's why it's called "behind the scenes." To sum up, it doesn't seem likely the series will move forward at this point but I still have hope that I can get the Corpse resuscitated eventually. I'm always looking for new opportunities to plug them back in if the story I wrote won't be used and I do have a couple of champions up at the DC offices. But if it's not meant to be, there's nothing more I can do. If you guys want to help, let DC know you want to see it. This is comics, things change all the time.

In the meantime, I've got plenty of work coming up from DC, both writing and inking, as well as my first writing work for Marvel, a story that will be out in August. So keep an eye out and thanks again for making a little noise about the Corpse series. I'm glad to know people liked and remember the last story and, one way or another, we'll do it again soon.

Hamsters!

2008-05-19T07:27:00.001-07:00

Out of curiosity, has anyone in my little circle of blogness been able to find/read Black Belt Hamsters #3? Due to the low print run--er, I mean the scarce, instant collectors item nature of the series, I haven't run across any feedback on the third issue which came out, I believe, a couple of weeks ago.

Rescue Me

2008-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's been so long, I almost don't know what to blog about. So while I figure out which of many weighty topics to expound upon, feel free to chew on this.

For a brief moment in time last year, there was almost a sequel to ARENA. Almost meaning I had an idea for a fifth chapter, Mike Siglain and I both wanted to do it but...the rest of DC didn't seem to notice. The ending to #4 would have needed some shifting to open things up for the epilogue but aside from that, the story would have stayed as is and lead into...

THE RESCUE

A 38-page COUNTDOWN: ARENA sequel

KEITH CHAMPAGNE

Wonder Woman (New Frontier). Batman (Gotham By Gaslight). Apollo. Jay Garrick. Green Lantern (Earth-32). Lia Nelson (Tangent).

Six heroes left behind in the aftermath of COUNTDOWN: ARENA. Six survivors held helplessly in reserve by MONARCH, a second wave to bolster the despot’s army should the unthinkable occur and his war against the MONITORS go awry.

Of all the participants, only the SUPERMAN of Earth-31 (The Dark Knight Returns), aided by BREACH and using the dimensional harness designed by TED KORD, survived the confines of The Arena and escaped from Monarch’s steely grasp.

Reluctantly, the Man Of Steel was transported away with Breach’s enigmatic words still ringing in his ears. “The harness is fully charged. It will take you where you need to go.”

Now, Superman is coming back, determined to free the remaining survivors and, in the process, throw a wrench into Monarch’s plans.

But thanks to Breach, The Man Of Steel isn’t coming back alone. Unknown to Monarch, Superman was transported to a world where he could find help with his task. Help in the form of a man equally determined to locate the survivors; a lethal, leather-clad killing machine with an agenda of his own: THE MIDNIGHTER, angrily searching for Apollo from the moment his lover first disappeared.

Set against the backdrop of Monarch’s campaign against The Monitors, the twisted “WORLD’S FINEST” team of Superman and The Midnighter enact a war of their own. With the Multiverse burning around them, the mismatched duo infiltrates deep into Monarch’s territory, overcoming THE EXTREMISTS, and finding themselves, ironically, facing off against the same six brave souls they set out to free; all while struggling to find common ground between their wildly divergent methods, morals, and personalities

Free Comic Book Day!

2008-05-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, did you know that this Saturday, May 3rd, is Free Comic Book Day?

That's right, like Christmas, it only comes along once every year but unlike Christmas, the date changes every year. Scheduled to coincide with the Iron Man movie, FCBD triumphantly arrives this weekend. To contribute to the good times, I'll be dragging my sorry ass over to Sarge's Comics in New London to sign and chat and generally try to look busy even if no one is talking to me.

I'll be there starting at 3:00 PM for an indeterminate time, 2-3 hours is a safe bet. So by all means, stop on by and grab some free comics.

The most boring post ever

2008-04-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Not much on my mind lately, hasn't been a great deal to blog about.

The NY convention came and went and I enjoyed my time there. Conventions are more or less like a big reunion where, every five steps one takes, you bump into another long lost colleague or friend. It was a productive show in terms of generating writing work, with a gig now upcoming from Marvel and an intriguing opportunity mentioned to me by Rob Levin from Top Cow that got my imagination sparking. I'm increasingly interested in working outside of DC. After fifteen years, it seems like a good time to start stretching my wings so I'm glad to see opportunities opening up to allow me to explore what's out there.

Next up, I'll be in Seattle the same weekend as the Emerald City Convention. While I'm not flying out specifically for the show, I'm sure I'll spend some time there. The weekend after, I'll be in New Hampshire for GraniteCon's 5th anniversary show, followed by AdventureCon in Tennessee again this year. Both were shows I was invited to last year, both well run, and I'm grateful to be invited back to each.

If all goes according to plan, we should have an exclusive, limited edition full color comic to unveil at Adventure Con. Who is 'WE?' Wait and see!

That's all the news I can think to blog about right about now. But check back in soon if you're so inclined. I'll try not to be so boring next time.

Thanks for reading,
Keith

PS- Hi, Mom!

Superman #676

2008-04-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Two blog updates in one day, although I wish I didn't have to post this one. This is DC's brief release regarding the issue of Superman I wrote, originally scheduled to arrive in stores next month. I'll have more to say on the other side...

DC COMICS UPDATES CONTENTS FOR SUPERMAN #676

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press Release

DC Comics announces new contents for SUPERMAN #676, replacing the story originally solicited for this issue.

In this story, originally scheduled to appear in SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #9, writer Vito Delsante and artists Julian Lopez and Bit tell the tale of how the Man of Steel met the original Emerald Sentinel, Alan Scott! As a mysterious team of scientists tracks a dangerous threat headed toward Metropolis, Superman learns the first lesson of super-heroism from the man who wrote the book!

This issue also will feature a new, previously unseen cover by Alex Ross.

SUPERMAN #676 (MAR080146) is solicited in the March Previews and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 14.

Because of this change, this issue will be made returnable at a later date.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

I'm not at liberty to say why there was a last minute content switch for this issue but I will say it has nothing to do with the quality of the story or art. It's the best comic I've written (in my humble opinion) and Rick and Dan did a great job. I was told our issue wasn't killed, just postponed although I can't say for how long.

It's frustrating, especially with my still-unannounced project w/ Doug Mahnke pushed to the fourth quarter of this year. I'm left with very little on the stands that I've written for most of 08 at this point, at least at DC. So don't forget about me while I'm gone and hopefully, when the complications surrounding this Superman issue get resolved, everyone will get to see it.

NYCC

2008-04-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

The New York Convention is this weekend and, while I don't have a table, any of my millions of fans can find me signing at the DC booth at the following times:

Friday: 4-5pm
Saturday: 11am-12pm
Sunday: 12-1pm

Hope to see you there!

SPARKS #1

2008-04-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm going to take a rare break from blogging about myself to mention an independent comic that a friend of mine, Derek, is editing. Quality independent comics can sometimes have a hard time finding an audience, especially those coming from a new company. So keep this one in mind when you place your orders at your local comic shop. From everything I've seen, it looks (and reads) excellent.

The company publishing it was started by William Katt, who most of us probably know best from Greatest American Hero (did he ever learn to use that suit?). He was smart to bring Derek on board and Team Catastrophic has put together a comic that is well worth your time.

Check out the link below and learn more about it.

http://www.fanboyplanet.com/comics/mc-sparks1preview.php

Comic book pet peeve

2008-04-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Does it bother anybody else when characters "sing" in comic books? One of those things that just bugs me.

Full, unfettered fury of Darkseid's junk!

2008-04-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just enough time before I rush off to pick Jack up from preschool to post this, the full version of the Darkseid page from Countdown #4.

The printed version was cropped and zoomed in on in a way that was quite different from the original page. Not sure why, maybe Darkseid looks especially silly lounging in a recliner? Maybe he's flashing too much junk from beneath his tunic of evil?

Mine is not to question why. But here's the original page!

The night before Jack's birthday...

2008-04-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Found the cable to my camera.

By the way, feel free to check out COUNTDOWN #4 this week, art by Jamal and myself. Very weird cropping on the Darkseid page, what was going on there I wonder?

State of the union

2008-04-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Jack had his fourth birthday a couple of days ago so, as of today, I've now spent the last 1462 days with this most remarkable little fellow--give or take a few days away for convention obligations. He doesn't seem tired of me yet; in fact, he seems to enjoy my company almost as much as I do his. Sure, once in a while he needs to put me in time out because, y'know, Daddy is crazy. But I try to learn the lessons he teaches and apply them to my life. For instance, The Wiggles really do grow on you if you listen to the same CD on an endless loop in the car for two straight years. Jack was totally right, I'll never listen to FM again!

For Jack's birthday, we took all of his cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and some neighbors/friends to a showing of Horton Hears A Who, followed by jungle-themed party, pizza/cake/presents/pinata back at Chez Champagne. It was a lot of work getting everything ready in the few days leading up to the bash but all in all, it worked out really well. I would post a picture but I can't find the cable to upload them from my camera to the computer.

In a reflective moment, I looked around at all of the kids at Jack's party and it hit me how fast all of them are growing up. I remember being afraid to hold them all when they were born and now a few of them can (and do) beat the tar out of me. Life seems to move so slow but when I look around, these years are passing in the blink of an eye. The last four years moved so fast, it's humbling.

I love my son more than anything.

Remember me?

2008-03-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

I've been doing my best impersonation of Pat Gleason the last chunk of days, quietly not updating my blog. You almost couldn't tell the difference between the two of us, except that Pat's inimitable sideburns are actually more talented than all of me is.

While I was busy imitating (but never duplicating) Pat, I forgot to mention that I had another Scooby Doo story arrive in stores last week, the oh-so-cleverly titled "Chupacabra-cadabra," which finds the gang travelling like a band o' gypsies, this time south of the border where wacky hijinx then ensue.

Also, this week sees the release of the second issue of Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters. I don't know if it makes me an asshole to admit this out loud but when I proofread the issue before it went to the printers, I actually made myself laugh out loud twice. In my defense, it had been a while since writing the script and proofreading the comic and I forgot most of what was in there but found it perfectly tailored to my own sense of humor. Plus, we pick up with our first of the original four Hamsters, Jackie. Plusplus, the actual beginnings of an overall plot begin to form before your very eyes like magic.

Plusplusplus, Tom Nguyen and Moose Baumann did another great job. If you can find it, I hope you'll enjoy it.

Over and out.

Born Standing Up

2008-03-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

If your sense of humor has anything in common with mine, then you also believe that Steve Martin is a genius. I'm not talking about Cheaper By The Dozen 2: Electric Boogaloo Steve Martin or even Parenthood Steve Martin, although I love that movie. No, my Internet friends, I'm talking about Banjo playing, King Tut singing, cultural phenomenon stand up comedian Steve Martin.

Which is my way of leading into saying that I really enjoyed Steve Martin's memoir of his early life and development as a stand up comedian, BORN STANDING UP. It's a quick read, interesting, funny and ultimately poignant and if you think Steve Martin is a genius, just like I do, I'm betting you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

As an aside, my personal favorite Steve Martin film is LA Story. What's yours?

Joe Kubert inks

2008-03-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Going through some files on my old laptop, I uncovered this, a panel from a sample page I pencilled in my third year at the Kubert School.

I remember Joe Kubert was bored towards the tail end of class one day. While critiquing my page, he started to ink over it on a sheet of vellum.

That's right, I've been inked by Joe Kubert!

It was worth the price of tuition all by itself.

Iron Man no more...

2008-03-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have half a page of Countdown #4 left to ink which, after I finish it in the morning, will mean I've worked seventeen days in a row.

I'm tired.

And I got to thinking how SOFT I've gotten over the years. When I first broke into the business in my early twenties, I would take a day off maybe once every six months and odds are, one of those days was Christmas. And those days would be LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG, twelve to fifteen hours every single day. And then I'd walk to school in two feet of snow without any shoes uphill, because that's what we did way back in the nineties.

But the thing is, I never remember feeling worn out by that schedule. It was just life at the time.

Granted, I have more responsibility now, a family and the such, but I'm definitely not made of iron any more. I think I'm starting to rust. Luckily, I've learned to work smarter over the years and that can make all the difference.

Dear Mom...

2008-03-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Mom,

It's hard to believe that you turned 60 today. Where does the time go? I remember Kenny, Kyle, and I singing happy birthday to you on your 30th, then digging in to a cake that I'm pretty sure you baked yourself, just to make sure your boys had some delicious cake that night more than making it to celebrate your own birthday, I'm sure.

That's the way you've always been, Mom, always putting the three of us first. So today, on your big day (which per your wishes we're celebrating in the most low key, no fuss, no muss way as possible), I want to tell you something important.

Thank you.

For everything.

From the dinners you now make for us every Tuesday night to the way you taught me to draw when I was little. For buying me comic books when they were still a quarter a piece. For calling me every third day while I lived in New Jersey to make sure I never needed anything. For posting on my blog last week that you liked my Joker drawing. You're always right there, making me smile, letting me know in a thousand subtle ways how loved I am.

You never ask for anything for yourself but you're always the first to give. A pitbull of love for your three sons, if I ever got mugged in a dark alley, I'd want you at my back, kicking ass and taking names.

Seriously.

Thank you for being my role model, an example of unselfish, unconditional love. I try to follow that example every day with Jack. You make me a better parent just through the fact that you've always been such a great parent yourself.

I'm lucky to have you.

Happy birthday, mom. I love you.

Keith

World's greatest

2008-02-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

Turns out my new project wasn't announced at Wondercon after all, although I had it on good authority it was going to be. I even did an interview for Newsarama in advance so they'd have something to run with once they could.

Weird.

I will say that I'm working with Doug Mahnke on this project and, based on the pages I've seen so far, he's pretty much the greatest artist I've worked with, no bullshit, and definitely the perfect guy for this series. And I don't mean any disrespect to any of the amazing talents I've been lucky enough to work with, guys like Ordway and Byrne and Gleason and Pearson and Leonardi, I've worked with an all-star team of greats. Doug's pages took my breath away with their sheer awesomeness.

In a bit of other news, I've returned to the trenches as an inker for the next few weeks, doing an issue of Countdown with my main man, Jamal Igle. When I'm asked to ink Jamal, I say YES. It's one of my rules in life, it's always a pleasure to work over his beautiful pencils. I'm a little rusty, haven't inked a page in a few months now but I'm shaking off the cobwebs and enjoying myself. Jamal and I did an issue of 52 together and I'm glad we'll also have an issue of Countdown under our belts. And be sure to pick up his Tangent project, dammit!

That's all for now, over an out!

Thanks for reading,
Keith

May solicits and Wednesday's books

2008-02-19T17:26:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm Joe Blogger. I sure do blog quite a bit lately. Not bad for someone who can't string five words together when talking about himself in real life.

Anyway, I've got a couple of things arriving on the stands tomorrow, as well as a couple of things announced for May today, so let's dive in.

First off, THE FLASH #237 is in stores tomorrow. I'm happy enough with the script I wrote, always room for improvement but I think it worked out OK. The book is drawn by Koi Turnbull and inked by Art Thibert.

I tend to try to build to emotional beats in the writing, whereas Koi is more of an action artist. So, it was an...interesting...meshing of approaches. I can't say I love every choice he made in the storytelling but he definitely surprised me more than once and told the story his way. That's really what I hope for from artists I work with, that they bring their own sensibilities to the work. Got that with Koi in spades.

I was also surprised to get a box of Scooby Doo comics in my comps the other day. Last year, I wrote four Scooby stories and haven't heard anything about them but the first, Snacks On A Plane, is in Scooby Doo #129 tomorrow.

All four Scooby stories are dear to my heart. It was a lot of fun to work with Scoob and the Gang, the sort of neat little job that would be fun to share. The stories I wrote are like little gypsies, floating around out there in the great big world and beginning to surface when I least expect it.

So SNACKS is the first one out there for the world to see.

As far as solicits go, first up:

SUPERMAN #676

Written by Keith Champagne
Art by Rick Leonardi & Dan Green
Cover by Alex Ross

Superman embarks on a journey with a dying man who has been in the background of the Man Of Steel’s life from the very beginning. As they search for answers to the strange riddle of the man’s life, they also find themselves ambushed by…The Parasite!
On sale May 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

And then...

THE FLASH: THE WILD WESTS HC
Written by Mark Waid, John Rogers and Keith Champagne
Art by Daniel Acuña, Freddie Williams II and Doug Braithwaite
Cover by Acuña

Wally West returns to active duty as the Flash — with the addition of his two children — in this amazing hardover collecting THE FLASH #231-237, guest-starring the Justice League! What’s his dark, dark family secret — the one that’s helping him keep the peace in Keystone? This volume also includes "The Fast Life, " by Mark Waid, John Rogers and Doug Braithwaite — the compelling tale of the West family's life on a Flash-friendly alien world.
Advance-solicited; on sale July 30 • 160 pg, FC, $24.99 US

Funny that the Flash issue which ships tomorrow is already part of the upcoming hardcover collection. I've never had anything I've written collected into HC before, I'm glad to ride Mark Waid's coattails to the super-deluxe treatment. It was a nice surprise when I read through the solicits.

The Superman issue is a dream come true for me and a strong step in the direction of the kind of writer I'm struggling to be. Ironically, the story is based on an idea I had when I was about 17 and which I finally got to use twenty years later. So I guess I knew the kind of writer I wanted to be when I was a kid and now I'm finally getting around to trying. A lot of love went into the Superman issue.

Well, I think that's plenty of blogging for tonight. Hell, that's plenty for February, really. But I'll probably pop back in soon, DC is announcing my new project this coming weekend at WonderCon.

Thanks for reading.
Keith

Joking around

2008-02-17T14:29:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking about the Joker a lot lately, must be something to do with the upcoming Batman movie. So I did something that I very rarely do: I drew a picture.

I remember reading a while back about how Jim Lee approached a sketch he did, painting the paper black and then working in white out on top of the black. It sounded like an interesting process so that's what I tried to do. I laid down a large black area, then blocked out the white of the face/hair and contour of the shoulders with pentel white out. Then I took a brush and tried to add features and rendering in black over the white, so the finished drawing is three layers (in some areas five or six as I kept whiting out and trying to correct my many mistakes)and weighs about a pound.

Maybe I should have tried to pencil it first.

The moral to the story is I'm no Jim Lee. But here's my attempt, warts and all, for the world to make fun of. No false modesty here, there's a reason I spent so many years inking and not pencilling. I could always say it sucks because Tom Nguyen has my good brushes in a box in the trunk of his car but that would just be making excuses.

You know who would draw a really kick ass Joker? Doug Mahnke!

We interrupt...

2008-02-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

I'd like to interrupt this regularly scheduled Valentines Day to say that my heart belongs to the new Indiana Jones trailer burning across the web. Especially that little glimpse of a box that says, "Roswell, New Mexico" because Indiana Jones plus Aliens equals awesome-sauce.

Steve Gerber

2008-02-12T08:13:00.001-08:00

After taking a very rare sick day yesterday, I log on today and learn that Steve Gerber, a well known and well respected writer for Marvel, DC, Malibu and lots of animated shows, passed away a few days ago.

Mr. Gerber is probably best known as the creator of Howard The Duck for Marvel, he's synonomous with that character. I personally always loved his work on Man Thing, that's probably the stuff he did that clicked with my young mind the most.

I never met, spoke to, or emailed Mr. Gerber although I had heard through the grapevine that he was awaiting a lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis. In spite of the fact that I had no personal connection to the man, I'm honestly saddened by his loss. As seems to happen in this field, seeing a person's name in the credit boxes over the years becomes almost a steady backdrop to my life. And now, another name goes missing.

My best to Mr. Gerber's friends and family.

It's a bird, it's a plane...

2008-02-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

OK, so this morning, DC announced that James Robinson will be writing Superman after Kurt Busiek leaves the book. They also released a cover image which, if you really want to know, is the great Alex Ross' cover to MY issue of Superman, which is being released in May after Busiek ends his run but before James begins his.

People that know me well know that I love no character more dearly than I do Superman. Getting to write the man o' steel is a serious career highlight for me and I hope that my love for the character shines through bright and strong.

Seeing as DC released the image, although in the wrong context, I would assume it's now safe to post the cover here. See that guy clutching his head in the lower left? My story is about THAT guy. Rick Leonardi kicked serious ass drawing it, too. Should be officially solicited in a just a few days.

This marks the FOURTH time I'll have an Alex Ross cover on books I've written. I must have blown somebody really important in a previous life.

Five topics from Don Chin

2008-02-07T07:36:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize it at the time but yesterday's post was my 200th since I started this blog a couple of years ago. I should have had a party.

Well, Mr. Don Chin, the creator of the original Black Belt Hamsters, suggested not one but five ideas for topics and, because I'm an overachiever, I will henceforth cover all five. Gracias, Don.

Here's what he suggested:

1. The Super Bowl & Super Bowl commercials

First of all, I'm not a huge sports fan. The only thing I follow with a passion is mixed martial arts. Everything else, I pay a general amount of attention to. However, I'm glad the Giants won. I have no particular dislike for the Patriots but in general, I prefer it when all New England sports teams suck. That's pretty much what I grew up with and that's the way I like it. The Patriots are great, the Red Sox are world series champions, even the Celtics are getting it done this year. For all I know, the Bruins kick ass. It's like living in bizarro world and it freaks me out, man.

2. New Season of American Idol

I don't watch American Idol. My mom does, my brother Kenny does, but it never grabbed me. I'd like to say I'm far too macho for American Idol but I did have a brief love affair with Dancing With The Stars, so that can't be the case.

3. New Season of 'LOST'

Off to a great start. I sort of wish the only two people left on the island were Ben and Locke, and every scene featured those two going at it but c'est la vie.

I'm digging the flash forwards but I do hope all the old mysteries get solved instead of buried under the new mysteries created by the glimpses into the future.

Love this show, it's the only thing I make a point to watch on a regular basis. Excited to see where it goes.

4. 2008 Presidential Election or alternative tickets (Colbert/Iron Man '08)

Hillary. This country desperately needs socialized medicine and it's gotta still eat at her soul the way she got crushed by the health insurance industry fifteen years ago. Plus, you can't ignore the fact that Bill Clinton will be sitting on the sidelines again.

5. Boxers or briefs? (Or in Tom Nguyen's case, speedos)

Briefs make me feel like a young boy getting a hernia check from the school nurse. And everyone knows Tom wears ladies thongs.

Best intentions...

2008-02-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

I was going to update my blog today but I ran out of time. But hopefully, tomorrow I'll be on it. Also, hopefully I'll think of something to write about. Anyone have a topic I can steal?

Hamster day!

2008-01-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well, Groundhog Day arrives next month but tomorrow officially becomes Hamster Day at a comic shop near you. The first issue of the Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters relaunch has it's moment in the sun.

The question is, will anybody notice?

Doing work outside of Marvel or DC, you can pretty much expect a book to have a lower circulation out of the gate. A book like the Hamsters, which is a little obscure to say the least, has even more of an uphill battle to climb. We did what we could to raise awareness on the Internet so now it's up to the readers. If you like the book, do me a favor and recommend it to a friend. Tell your shop to order more copies. Anything we can do to get the numbers up will help the book's long term future.

This was my first time trying to write 'funny' and it wasn't easy. The second issue definitely felt a lot more comfortable, the third even more and so on...

As a little inside tip, when we first meet the new generation of Hamsters (Arnold, Rock, Lucy, Steven and Jean Claude), they introduce themselves by way of actual interview or film quotes from their patron saints. It seemed like a cute idea but what do I know? In fact, every single word spoken by Steven is a direct Steven Seagal quote in one way or another. I don't know if anyone else will get the joke but it was funny to me!

Let me know what you think.

Under Pressure

2008-01-27T10:36:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite songs is UNDER PRESSURE, by Queen and David Bowie. It might even be in my top five favorite songs of all time, if you listen to the structure of the music, it's constructed very much like a screenplay, falling into three acts.

Having said that, I have no idea what the boys are singing for about three quarters of the song. After listening to it on my ipod today a few times in a row while writing, I decided it was time for an Internet search to finally unscramble the lyrics.

So, as a public service, here you go:

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure - that burns a building
down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets
It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
Pressure on people - people on streets
She been around
Kicked my brains round the floor
These are the days it rains but it never pours
People on streets
People on streets
It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - high higher
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed
and torn
Why - Ooooh
Insanity laughs under pressure we're
cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one more
chance
Why can't we give love
Give love give love give love give love
Give love give love give love
Love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves

This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

Which just goes to show that, even though I now know what's words Freddie and Bowie are singing, I still have no idea what they mean.

10 thingth

2008-01-21T17:46:00.001-08:00

Inspired by my pal Jamal's latest blog entry (and because I have nothing much to blog about lately), I present to you ten things you don't know about me. Probably. Unless you're my friend in real life, then you either know them all or else know if I'm lying right now. Or both.

10- I have benchpressed over 300 lbs. Just not as many times as my two brothers.

9- I'm a middle child and can confirm that "middle child syndrome" is very real indeed. Not that I grew up desperately crying out for attention or anything...

8- I once faxed a letter to the president of the greatest soft drink company ever, Pepsi. A week later, his secretary sent me a T-shirt and other Pepsi gear because my letter made him laugh. I didn't know how to use a fax machine at the time so Rob sent it out for me. I shared none of my Pepsi loot as thanks.

7- I can juggle.

6- I know a lot of different ways to break your arm or choke you out. Just not as many as Mister Ninja.

5- I love me some Cheesecake.

4- When I was three years old, I decided I wanted to be a comic book artist when I grew up. When I was twenty-three, I became a professional comic book artist.

3- I never know what to say to people so I make supposedly witty comments instead. Except they're seldom as witty as I think.

2- I have a slight lisp which I'm ridiculouthly thelf consciouth about.

1- My middle name is Christian.

Tom Cruise believes!

2008-01-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

Tonight, I watched the Tom Cruise Scientology video that was leaked onto the Internet. Gotta say, after watching it, I don't have any idea WHAT he believes. The video couldn't be more vague, with Tom Cruise literally saying nothing over and over again. But whatever the fuck he believes in, he sure does believe it HARD.

In spite of the fact that I learned absolutely nothing about scientology, I've concluded I might just join up. For some reason, I can't stop thinking it would be a good career move. So I went to the scientology website, where I briefly contemplated taking the free personality test but I balked at filling out my personal information.

I don't really have a point to this post. I just haven't put anything on the blog in about a week and this was something that caught my eye today. In a strange way, I admire Tom Cruise's fervor and I support his right to believe whatever he wants. Still...pretty wacky.

Keith also recommends...

2008-01-09T11:32:00.001-08:00

I forgot to mention in my previous post that Peter Tomasi's first issue of Nightwing (#140) arrives in comic stores today.

Peter is one of my very best friends, not to mention a great writer, not to mention that just by being my friend over the years, he inspired me to stop wanting to write and actually start writing. Anything he does is worth your attention so if you haven't picked up Nightwing in a while, this is as good a time as any. Knowing some of his plans for the book, it's going to be a fun ride.

Keith recommends...

2008-01-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

While my subconscious works to solve a story problem, the front of my mind has decided to update the blog. In this way, I can avoid work for a few minutes while still feeling somewhat productive.

In the comments of one of the previous posts a few pages down, I think it was DANIEL (sorry if I'm wrong) who mentioned that he likes hearing what those of us in the comics field enjoy reading. So, in a bold departure from always talking about myself, I wanted to recommend a new book from Vertigo called NORTHLANDERS. I read the first issue from my comps the other day and thought it was a really solid debut issue.

First issues are hard. Usually, they bear the brunt of carrying a lot of exposition and setting up the story that the following issues are going to tell. But the writer (I'm pretty sure his name was Brian Wood but I don't have the book in front of me) made it look effortless. The last time I was knocked off my feet by a first issue was with Fables #1 which, until I stopped reading it about twenty issues later, still remained the best of the bunch to me.

However, Northlanders has VIKINGS and vikings are cool. The art was really great too although the artist's name was Italian and there's no way I can remember it off the top of my head. It's a great looking book that hooked me off the bat.

That's probably the worst, most disrespectful recommendation of all time, seeing as I can't remember the creator's names. But don't hold it against me, just take my word that the book is more than worth your time. I'm looking forward to the second issue and to getting everyone's name straight in my poor, addled brain.

In other news, Lewis, if you're still reading my blog post-Arena, I finally checked out your online comic. I'll be honest w/ you: Some of it I liked, some of it left me cold but what I enjoyed the most about it is that you're clearly growing and learning as you go and it's obvious that you're having a good time with your hobby/work. Keep it up! Just don't steal my job in a few years, man!

Atom and Flash

2008-01-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

Speaking of shameless plugging...

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=141617

Using the Internet is probably the best marketing tool in comics right now so expect many interview links to be posted on this blog in 08. Last year was a good year for me in terms of making the transition from inker to writer. This year, I'll be working overtime to solidify and grow my career in the writerly direction. I'm already sick of hearing from me so I imagine the rest of you are too. I guess we'll all have to deal with it together.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

I was going to write some kind of long, reflective "2007: my year in review" post but really, does anyone give half a crap? Like all years, 2007 had some ups, downs, and averaged out to be mostly the same.

Instead, let's just look to the future. Wishing everyone a fantastic 2008!

Start your year off right with THE ALL-NEW ATOM #19, on sale this week, he said, shamelessly plugging.

Arena #4: The war to settle the score

2007-12-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

And the last issue of Arena arrives in stores today, ending what was a fun work month for me. It's been enjoyable hearing the different reactions to the series after working in a bubble on it for so long. I don't have my printed copies of the last issue yet, shipping seems to have been thrown off by the holiday. But I was very happy with the PDF that I proofread earlier this month, I think the ending works well and spins out in a way people won't expect.

To put the frosting on the cake, I did a commentary track of the fourth issue for Comic Book Resources. I'll edit this and post a link when it goes live today/over the weekend.

And that's a wrap...until THE ATOM #19 ships next month.

(Edit) Here's the linkage to the commentary track of #4. It basically spoils the whole finale of the series so, if you care about that kind of thing, I would recommend reading the issue first.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=12663

Hamster Droppings #2

2007-12-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone out there had a nice Christmas. If you're a friend of mine and didn't get a Christmas card, it may not be because you've been blacklisted. Or it might be but probably night. More than likely, it's because I haven't gotten around to sending them yet. We got Jack's picture taken a little later than usual this year but have every intention of getting them sent out before next Christmas.

Anyway, the second installment of Hamster Droppings went live today at Newsarama, wherein I interview Don Chin. It's the first time I've ever interviewed anybody so I did the smartest thing I could and copied the Vaneta approach, attempting to make it seem as if Don and I were talking instead of emailing.

Here's the link...

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=140790

A potpourri

2007-12-19T05:36:00.000-08:00

OK, I have no idea how to actually spell potpourri. Potporri? Potpouri? Ah, who cares.

ARENA #3 arrives at your friendly neighborhood comic book store today. I got my copies yesterday and was really happy with the way it read. Which doesn't mean it's any good, just that I was happy with it. But if you're enjoying the book to date, I don't think #3 will make you my enemy.

In other news, DC announced their March solicits the other day and I've got nothing new shipping in March. However, I was surprised to see:

JLA PRESENTS: AZTEK — THE ULTIMATE MAN TP

Written by Grant Morrison & Mark Millar
Art by Stephen Harris, Keith Champagne, Drew Geraci and others

Cover by Howard Porter and John Dell

From writers Grant Morrison (52, BATMAN) and Mark Millar (Ultimates, Civil War) comes Aztek, the visionary hero from the 1990s! In these stories from Aztek: the Ultimate Man #1-10, Aztek fights the forces of evil in Vanity City, where he meets costumed characters including Green Lantern and The Joker!
Advance-solicited; on sale April 30 • 240 pg, FC, $19.99 US

Weird to see this long-ago-cancelled book dusted off and collected out of the blue. I really loved Aztek. As an inker, I literally had no idea what I was doing on each page but it was a very fun, sly read thanks to the two writers, whom you may have heard of before. I have no idea what Drew Geraci is doing in the solicit. He's a really good inker but I don't remember him working on the book, I think every issue is all me. Anyway, I've inked many a comic over the years and when people ask at conventions, I always list Aztek (and Young Heroes In Love) as my two favorites.

I don't expect to have anything new solicited until May, when the project I'm writing now is scheduled to begin shipping. For anyone who cares enough about my career to play detective (Hi, mom!), for reference on my desk, I have copies of Batman: Year One, The Killing Joke, and The Man Who Laughs.

I might do a post about The Killing Joke at some point. It was interesting to read it again after all these years. Holds up pretty darn well.

Hope you enjoy Arena #3. Lewis, I'm sure you'll tell me if you don't!

Hamster Droppings: Part One

2007-12-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

Building up to the release of the new Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters next month from Dynamite Entertainment, I'm writing a series of four columns for Newsarama, sort of a behind the scenes production blog and interview series to (hopefully) drum up some noise and interest in the book. The first one went live today.

I proofread a PDF of the first issue of the Hamsters this afternoon and I think it's coming together nicely. A little tweaking here and there and we got ourselves a real, live comic book.

Here's the linkage:

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=140025

For Wally West 888

2007-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Xmas!

Arena #2: Electric Boogaloo

2007-12-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

ARENA #2 ships tomorrow. I think now that the necessary exposition and set up has been handled in the first issue, the second really hits the ground running and the story has room to begin building. So if you enjoyed #1, the second issue is a much better read, at least in my opinion.

If you didn't enjoy #1 (and I read one blistering review-coughfuckyouIGNcough), go ahead and skip the rest. I won't be offended. From my admittedly limited skimming of the Internet for reaction, it seems to be running about 70-30 in favor of the book. Most of the negative opinions seem focused on a disenfranchise with Countdown in general, carrying over those hard feelings onto my project. Nothing I can do about that, I just hope the book is judged on its own merits when all is said and done. There's definitely a second level running beneath the surface of this story and there is an actual story running through the book. Sure, it's Monarch's story but it's more than you might be expecting.

As a little Easter Egg, here's the original version of Page 5 from issue #1.

Blast off!

2007-12-05T11:34:00.001-08:00

Bring it on, Internets!

Four, three...TWO

2007-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

And resuming the cover countdown, here's #2 featuring three fighting mad Green Lanterns.

There was an advance review of ARENA #1 posted on Newsarama this morning, here's the link:

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=138290

The reviewer had a couple of issues with it and, while it's probably a waste of time, I want to take a second to rebutt a couple of points he made.

REVIEWER'S THOUGHT: "While it’s ably rendered by McDaniel and company, and while Champagne manages to capture distinct bits of characterization from a vast cast that’s drawn from dozens of specials and mini-series from the past couple of decades, it represents in many ways a certain cynical approach (a spin-off mini of a 52-part weekly that you need to read in order to understand parts of the initial 52 parter that won’t actually finish until another mini next year) that’s the worst by-product of plot-first event comics."

KEITH'S THOUGHT: For better or worse, the business model at both Marvel and DC these days is predicated on 'event' comics. Big stories, editorially driven, maximized with spin off books to capture more of the reader's dollar. ARENA is one of those books but, while it is a spawn of Countdown, it also stands as a self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and a definite ending that then joins back up with the mothership to tell the next chapter. I'd like to see it judged on its own merits: Plot, script, art, colors, if possible, and not slammed because the primary nature of its existence is to make a buck.

Variantly yours

2007-12-01T06:31:00.000-08:00

Got this in my email this morning. Sure, it disrupts my cover-posting-COUNTDOWN to ARENA #1 but it sure does look nice in color!

From what I've seen, the big head theme runs through Dale Eaglesham's other variant cover too.

I'm pretty sure the actual printed version won't have www.badgercomics.com plastered across the bottom. This must have been lifted from their website.

Wonder Woman powers...ACTIVATE!

2007-11-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

And here's Andy Kubert's cover to Arena #3, featuring three very determined Wonder Women duking it out.

For those playing along at home, you may notice that I'm posting these covers in reverse order, (not so cleverly) COUNTING DOWN to the cover of #1 on Wednesday the 5th. Because that's how I roll.

It's been a quiet, low pressure week spent writing the third issue of the Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters. I think this is going to be a sleeper book that will surprise a lot of people. Tom Nguyen is knocking it out of the park and with Moose Baumann on colors, it's gonna be pretty. It's good to know that even if I write a lousy book, those boys will save me with their talented ways.

In exciting news, I'm working with Doug Mahnke on my next project for DC! Between Tom and Pat Gleason and now Doug, I'm very lucky to have worked or be working with the trifecta I affectionately call the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Doesn't get much better!

Now in color...

2007-11-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is Andy Kubert's cover to ARENA #4 and isn't it great? This is the first time I've seen it in color and I just had to share.

I really love all four covers that Andy pulled off on this series. They're definitely distinctive, no other book will look similar to ARENA next month and that's the hallmark of good cover art. They really stand out.