The Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC

~~ Click on the cover for a large preview of NO WAY OUT HC Vol.1 ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so happy to announce that he first collected edition of the adventures of THE BLACK BEETLE, titled NO WAY OUT, is at the presses as I type. This beautiful HC includes the One-Shot "NIGHT SHIFT" (published as #0) and the 4 issues of NO WAY OUT, plus a rich section of extra material, some never printed/published before. Layouts, sketches, pinup, tons of good stuff. Click on the image above for a sneak peek.

Here's the solicits for the HC. Pre-order now at your local comicshop or at your online shop, AMazon, B&N or any other fine place that has this HC for pre-sale.
Tell your friends, tell your family, pre-order multiple copies: this is really good comic and good fun for cheap money! :D

The Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC

After witnessing an explosion that decimates the city’s organized crime community, killing dozens, the Black Beetle—Colt City’s sleuthing sentinel—is on the hunt for answers and justice!
Follow Francesco Francavilla’s critically acclaimed pulp hero as he searches island prisons, dank sewers, and swanky nightclubs for the mysterious man known as Labyrinto.
“The Black Beetle #1 is one of the most exhilarating, stunning superhero comics on the stands . . . This miniseries presents a high-stakes mystery realized through Francavilla’s intensely graphic style, full of innovative layouts and spectacular splash pages.”—The Onion’s A.V. Club

“I , FOR ONE, CANNOT WAIT TO GET MORE!” —Comic Book Resources

“The hard-boiled mystery hits the ground running and doesn’t pause to catch its breath.”—Nerdist
TFAW Logo Pre-Order Black Beetle Volume 1: No Way Out HC Now @ TFAW.com
Creators

Writer:    Francesco Francavilla
Artist:    Francesco Francavilla
Cover Artist:    Francesco Francavilla

Genre: Superhero, Crime, Action/Adventure

Publication Date:    October 16, 2013
Format:    FC, 152 Pages; HC, 7" x 10"
Price:    $19.99

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

THE BLACK BEETLE IN “NECROLOGUE" Coming this October (#1 of 5)

Finally announced!!!
The Black Beetle is coming back this October with a brand new mini that promises to scare! The 5-issue arc is titled NECROLOGUE and will introduce new villains.
Here’s the solicitation text from Dark Horse.

THE BLACK BEETLE ~ NECROLOGUE, #1 of 5
Written and drawn by Francesco Francavilla
Lettering by Nate Piekos of BLAMBOT®
On sale: 10/23/13

Someone’s murdering the citizens of Colt City, and there’s only one man who can stop this killing spree: the Black Beetle!
But as Black Beetle investigates these grisly murders, questions arise about the masked detective: Is he a daring hero or a reckless vigilante? With a past veiled in the shadow of mystery, Black Beetle takes on a dark mission that will keep you screaming in the thrilling new miniseries Necrologue!
-Necrologue will keep you screaming!
-Horror comes to Colt City!
-From the mind of Eisner Award–winning and New York Times best-selling creator Francesco Francavilla!

If you want to know more about NECROLOGUE, here is an interview I did with CBR last week announcing the new mini.
 
At the conclusion of “The Black Beetle: No Way Out" #4, creator Francesco Francavilla included a teaser for the next chapter in the noir-tinged superhero’s adventures: “Necrologue." Now, with the first issue of the next installment due to sweep into comic shops this October from Francavilla and Dark Horse Comics, Comic Book Resources spoke with the Eisner Award winner about the forthcoming miniseries.

The story picks up shortly after the conclusion of the widely acclaimed “No Way Out." The Black Beetle has, it seems, vanquished the villainous Labyrinto — but there’s no rest for the weary. There’s a new menace in store for Colt City, and the supernatural forces hinted at in the pages of “No Way Out" are beginning to reveal themselves. As we spoke, Francavilla touched on his love of the classic Universal Horror films, the importance of expanding The Black Beetle’s world at a slow, sustainable pace and the prospect of some familiar faces returning for his second go-round with the pulp-inspired hero.

Francesco Francavilla: I always knew the Black Beetle had a special chemistry with his audience: I mean, the guy knows how to captivate the readers and keep them hooked for the ride. It happened since the ashcan and the first web mini episodes came out. What I didn’t know was that word of mouth would have spread so quickly and the Beetle’s following would grow so big. I’m definitely feeling really, really good about the awesome response, and a bit more pressured as I work on the next installment — there are many more eyes on this now!

What’s the premise of the upcoming mini? I’m inferring that it is somehow related to the “Intermezzo" sections of the “No Way Out" books, as well as the character Stephano Corallo.

Even [though] we decided — for a number of reasons — to go with the series-of-minis route (successfully experimented with the many Hellboy titles), “Necrologue" will pick up right after “No Way Out." We will definitely see what all those “Intermezzos" were about and what Stephano Corallo’s special skills might be. But that will not be the only thing to make Black Beetle’s life more troublesome. We’ll see also the introduction of a new menace to not just the Beetle himself, but to all of Colt City.

What does "Necrologue" refer to?

"Necrologue" refers to the series of deaths that will mark this second mini. Even though there was quite a series of deaths in the first mini as well, now that I think about it.

We saw, at the conclusion of "No Way Out," Labyrinto stuck inside a burning building. Will we be seeing his return, or the return of any other supporting cast?

Let's just say that will not be the last we hear -- or see -- from Labyrinto and leave it at that for the moment.


Professor Antonia Howard -- seen in "Night Shift" and in the Intermezzos -- will definitely return in a more active role. And probably we will see Coco Club's biggest attraction, Jazz singer Ava, making an appearance as well.

I like to build the Colt City world a bit at a time and get everyone accustomed with its inhabitants. I realized that dropping a whole new "universe" in front of the readers might not be the best way to have them appreciate it and get to know it. With this slow reveal, I believe the readers will get used to Colt City a bit at a time, and will start to get familiar with it. And once you get familiar with it, you care about it. It's a bit like when you move into a new city -- you start from your neighborhood and branch out from there.

"Necrologue" is billed as a "Horror Tale." In crafting a horror-tinged story, what do you look to for inspiration? Is there a singular horror film or story that sparked your love of the genre?

All those classic Universal Horror films had -- and still have -- a huge influence on me, and they definitely inspired the way I set the mood with the chiaroscuro. The Hammer films helped me with the use of the red and blood. Both were gothic, which is the way I like my horror.

One of the goals when I first started working on "The Black Beetle" was to try to tackle all the classic genres that are so dear to my heart. After the more noir-centric action of the first mini, I'm planning to push a little more on the horror pedal for the second one. As usual, my horror is more about setting a mood rather than showing severed limbs.


If everything goes as planned, it's gonna be a scary arc.

"The Black Beetle: Necrologue" debuts in October from Francavilla and Dark Horse

More on ComicBookResources.

Hope you guys put this on your October pull list: it’s gonna be another FUN ride.

Cheers,
FF

THE BLACK BEETLE ~ NO WAY OUT #3 is here!

~~ Click on the cover for a large preview of NO WAY OUT #3 ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     The third episode of The Black Beetle's NO WAY OUT is airing this Wednesday in all your favorite comicbook stores, and you can get a meaty preview by clicking the cover above.

Please trust me when I say this is the prettier chapter yet and make sure to be there in about 30 days for the explosive conclusion of the first adventure/foray of The Black Beetle on the shelves.
Hope you enjoy the read :)

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3
Written by Francesco Francavilla
Art by Francesco Francavilla
On sale April 17th, 2013     
Under the watchful gaze of the mysterious Labyrinto, Black Beetle fights for his life! Is this the doing of a man that Black Beetle thought was dead? Could a zombie mobster be commanding the foes of Colt City’s dark avenger?! If he survives the night, the investigative insect will be left with questions to ponder as he takes his investigation . . . to the morgue!


Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

FF @ ECCC 2013 - Sketches & Panel info

Emerald City Comic Convention - Seattle March 1-3 2013

I'm so excited to be invited back to this beautiful city and show. A lot of people have asked me about my sketch availability and rates, so here's how I plan to handle that (subject to change if needed).

Location: I'm in Artist Alley, table M-06 (see diagram below - click on the image for larger view).

Panels
I'm on 2 panels, Friday & Saturday and hope you'll attend.

FRIDAY MARCH 1st
DARK HORSE SUPERHEROES
Room: HALL B (608-610)
Start: 3:10PM
End: 4:05PM
The latter half of 2012 saw the return of two of Dark Horse's classic characters, Ghost and X, new faces like Michael Avon Oeming's The Victories, and Francesco Francavilla's The Black Beetle, and even a completely reimagined hero from yesteryear, Captain Midnight! As we move into 2013, there is no sign of slowing down, as Dark Horse will introduce even more original heroes and villains throughout the year! Join Dark Horse PR Director, Jeremy Atkins, as well as a cast of the industry's top talent, including Kelly Sue DeConnick (Ghost, Captain Marvel, Avengers Assemble), Joe Casey (Catalyst, Sex), Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories, Powers), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), and Joshua Williamson (Captain Midnight, Masks and Mobsters), for a look at an exciting new cast of characters for 2013!

SATURDAY MARCH 2nd
DYNAMITE IS READY TO EXPLODE!
Room: HALL B (608-610)
Start: 6:10PM
End: 7:05PM
Join the Dynamite gang and their star-studded line-up of creative talent for an hour of explosive power!  Mark Waid takes charge with Green Hornet!  Matt Wagner knows what evil lurks at the heart of The Shadow!  Chris Roberson unmasks Masks!  Get the latest news right from the source, as the guys give a dynamic glimpse behind-the-scenes with Ron Marz’s Prophecy, Brandon Jerwa’s Vampirella, and Eric Trautman’s Red Sonja!  Plus Francesco Francavilla, Jim Zub, and more!

Signings
I will sign books and prints (and thank you for supporting me by buying my stuff)! If you have a lot of books and there's a long line, I may ask you to let me do it in batches just to be considerate to others. This year, I'm joining HERO INITIATIVE's goal to raise some money for their charity. I will have a tip jar at my table and will be very happy if you make a donation (even of 1 dollar) to Hero as a thanks for signing your books. You can read more details about HERO INTITATIVE at ECCC here.
I might also set up some specific time for the signatures if needed, but for STOP&CHAT and handshakes, pls feel free to stop anytime, as long I am at the table ;)

OFFICIAL SIGNINGS
I will be at both Dark Horse and Dynamite booths on Friday and Saturday to sign all the books you want:

Friday March 1st - 4:30 p.m
DARK HORSE Booth #1102
Superhero Signing: Frank Barbiere (Blackout), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Michael Avon Oeming (The Victories), Josh Williamson (Captain Midnight)

Saturday March 2nd - 4:30-5:30
DYNAMITE Ent. Booth #1802
Francesco Francavilla Signing at Dynamite

Convention Sketches
Yes, I will be doing sketches at the show. I can't do any sketching prior to the show due to deadlines.
The sketches (or, as I like to call them, mini-commissions) will be 9x12 Bristol, single-figure, some background, done with pencils, inks and probably washes.
My prices are: Head/Bust - $100; Full-Figure $250.
I try to do a few of these per day. It's done first-come, first-serve, so just come see me early to get on the list. I will do a new list every day. I take cash or credit card (assuming this new iPad gizmo works).
Below is a sample of a 9x12 full figure, fully inked sketch.

Prints & Books
I'm flying so I won't have a large variety of prints with me. I'll definitely have some Black Beetle, Poe, Lovecraft, and USRA prints. I'll also have a limited quantity of my sketchbooks (Chiaroscuro Vol.1 & Schermoscuro Vol.1).
Sketchbooks are $20 each and they come with a quick small sketch inside.

Cheers,
Francesco

Artwork © 2013 Francesco Francavilla

PULP TRIPLE FEATURE! The Shadow, The Spider, and MASKS!

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   Today we have a TRIPLE PULP FEATURE with The Shadow, The Spider, and MASKS! :)

  MASKS is the miniseries featuring all of the classic pulp heroes in one book: Shadow, Spider, Zorro, Green Hornet, Kato, you name it and it will probably be in there :)
I was fortunate enough to provide a variant cover for the first issue and I was very happy to be asked to do some more covers, like the one for #7 above.


   In addition, above and below are the newest covers for THE SHADOW and THE SPIDER: all these books are slated to be released in May, so make sure to have them on your pull list: good writing (from dear friends Chris Roberson and David Liss) and great art make these a no-to miss addition to your pulp reads.



Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone, and don't forget to pick up Black Beetle #2 this coming Wednesday! :)

Cheers,
Francesco

THE BLACK BEETLE #1 Goes Back To Print!

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   I am so excited to announce that, due to the high demand and to the fact #1 is sold out pretty much everywhere (from Diamond/distributor to the local shops), Dark Horse has decided to send #1 back to print so everybody can enjoy THE BLACK BEETLE experience/fun in its entirety :)
   For the occasion I was asked to provide a new cover pretty much overnight, new cover you can see above and which I hope you enjoy.

   Thanks again everyone for making this happen: it really is a dream come true for me to bring Black Beetle in the stores (and in your hands) so seeing becoming this popular is just the cherry on top of this wonderful journey.

   Stick with us for the long run and you will be entertained, I can promise you that :)

   In related news, I wanted also to congratulate my Black Beetle editor supreme and dear friend Jim Gibbons in his well deserved promotion to Associate Editor at Dark Horse. Way to go, Jim, let's keep rockin' this :)

   Here's the Official Press Release from Dark Horse about Black Beetle #1 going back to print.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francesco Francavilla's Black Beetle #1 Being Reprinted!
02/08/2013 12:05pm
 
DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES A SECOND PRINTING WITH AN ALL-NEW COVER!

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again! Eisner Award–winning artist Francesco Francavilla’s new series at Dark Horse is already being called one of the year’s best! After receiving unanimous praise from retailers, fans, and every media outlet under the sun, The Black Beetle: No Way Out #1 has officially sold out of its first printing!

Now, we are proud to announce that despite our best efforts, demand was just too high to keep stock on shelves. In order to time as closely as possible with the release of the critically acclaimed series’ second issue, Francesco Francavilla and Dark Horse Comics have put together another printing with an all-new cover!

This new series introduces the Black Beetle, a mob-busting costumed supersleuth, as he investigates a bombing that has killed off some of Colt City’s notorious criminals! Steeped in pulp noir with modern sensibility, this is one new series you need to read!

“I am very humbled by the great response that The Black Beetle has received. This is such a work of love that’s been in the making for several years, and I am thrilled to see so many people are really digging the book,” said creator Francesco Francavilla. “It’s my goal to make this a book that can be enjoyed by those who love classic pulp stories, as well as new fans who want a fun, entertaining read. I can’t wait to show everyone what’s coming up next!”

Retailers, the second printing of The Black Beetle #1 is available through Diamond now, using the following order code: DEC128352. This issue will be on sale in the direct market on March 13, 2013.

Fans, look for The Black Beetle: No Way Out #2 at your local comic shop on February 20!

~~~~~~~~~

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

PULP TRIPLE FEATURE! The Shadow, The Spider, and The Beetle

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

   To make up for the missing post last Sunday (blame those deadlines!), here's another TRIPLE Feature featuring The Shadow, The Spider, and my own Black Beetle! :)

   Above and below are the covers for The Shadow #13 and the Spider #11 (both out in April). Both these series are doing really well, and that's a good thing because they both have strong creative teams behind and they are helping bringing the PULPS  back in everyone's hands.
   Speaking of strong creative team, look for the upcoming THE SHADOW YEAR ONE, written by dear friend Matt Wagner (so you know it's gonna be pretty darn good) and drawn excellently by Wilfredo Torres.

   And above is a sneak peek at THE BLACK BEETLE NO WAY OUT #2 used as ad by Dark Horse with a series of quotes praising #1 that came out last week and it's pretty much sold out (or close to) everywhere.
   Can't wait for you guys to dig into issue 2, out in stores in about 3 weeks :)



Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

SUPER NOIR!

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     Dark Horse released the above poster as part of a promotional campaign of new "SUPER" titles that are launching this month.
Our Black Beetle gets the SUPER NOIR treatment and I love it! Hope you do too.

   You probably have already picked up #0 but if you haven't yet, below is a partial list of all the sweet reviews it got. And don't ofrget to ask your shop to set a copy or two of NO WAY OUT #1, coming out in less than 2 weeks now :)

     I am so happy to see that Black Beetle #0 (collecting the NIGHT SHIFT 3-parter published in DHP plus extra material) was received so well by critics and fans (lots of BB love on Twitter).
Here some of the reviews (click on the links for the full reviews).

THE BEAT
REVIEW: THE BLACK BEETLE #0, “Night Shift”
   BLACK BEETLE certainly has the potential to become an enduring “cult classic”, inspiring readers to roll up for more “twisted thoughts” from Francavilla in 2013.

COMICOSITY
Review: BLACK BEETLE: THE NIGHT SHIFT #0 9/10★
   Francavilla truly understands the economy of excellent storytelling, both in character movement and illustrative detail.

COMICS ALLIANCE
Francesco Francavilla's 'The Black Beetle: Night Shift' is the Hottest Cape Comic You Can Buy This Week
   The Black Beetle is the purest expression yet of Eisner-winning artist Francavilla's love for pulp, mystery, noir and superhero aesthetics

GEEKS OF DOOM
Comic Review: The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0
   The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 is all set up and all AWESOME! Let’s be honest, there’s plenty of pulp heroes running around these days, but The Black Beetle is all sorts of fun. No downbeat, depressing, down on humanity story here, just some fantastic action and adventure!

CBR
The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 Review 4/5★
   "The Black Beetle" is a delightful slice of skewed madness from one of today’s finest artists.

LOGO GO /NO GO (Tom Muller)
GO: THE BLACK BEETLE — NIGHT SHIFT
   The Black Beetle is Francesco Francavilla’s love letter to the pulp fiction serials of the 30s and 40s. Francavilla is pulling out all the stops to really capture the finer points of the pulp design language, both for the cover designs and the related promo material to create a fully realised design language that is flexible but immediately recognisable.

SCIFI PULSE
In Review: The Black Beetle #0 A
   Francesco Francavilla has got a mastery of this universe and shifts us around it expertly. I cannot wait to see where he takes us next!

COMICBOOKBIN
The Black Beetle #0 Review 9/10★
   Easily one of the year's best debut issues, The Black Beetle #0 is opening salvo of what looks to be one of the best ongoing series of its kind.

COMIC ATTACK
Dark Horse Reviews: The Black Beetle #0 5/5★
   The quality of this issue is unsurpassed.

COMIC BASTARDS
Review: The Black Beetle #0 4/5★
   The story and artwork flows seamlessly together, a beneficial effect of having a single creative mind at work, and the plot is masterfully paced with no dull moments to be found.

COMICS & GAMING MAGAZINE
The Black Beetle in Night Shift #0 4.5/5★
   There’s something really iconic about every aspect of this book, from the title to his character to the artwork and more. The visuals are superb, heavy shadows and a very simple colour palette. [...] It’s a meticulously created mythos and I’m excited to read the rest.

NOSTALGIC Books and Comics
Picks of the Week: 12/19/12
   This handsome collection features three Dark Horse Presents stories originally published in issues #11–#13, from Eisner Award winning talent, Francesco Francavilla (Batman: The Black Mirror). Pure masterful pulp at its finest. This buzz-worthy read is as beautiful as action/adventure gets!

EXAMINER
‘New York Times’ best-selling artist creates pulp hero the Black Beetle
   Through the Black Beetle, Francavilla is able to explore all he loves about classic pulp-noir characters adding his own storytelling sensibilities by writing and drawing a story with no limits.


COMICBOOK THERAPY
Advance Review 4/5★
   It’s a throwback comic that is worth your time and money.


BIFF BUMP POP!
You Won’t Throwback The Black Beetle #0 On The Wednesday Run
   The comic book seamlessly mixes the noir and superheroes genres, is beautiful to look at and, most importantly, it’s super fun to read!

COMICS CRUX
The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0
   This Wednesday, grab The Black Beetle #0, smooth as silk and a reading adventure like you won’t believe. The Black Beetle earns every bit of your reading dollar.

THIRD EYE COMICS

Picks of the week.
   FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, the incredibly talented artist of BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR, totally blows our minds with the first issue of this mini-series that debuts his tribute to the pulp era, the BLACK BEETLE.

REVIEWFIX
The Black Beetle: Night Shift Review: Worth Getting Excited About
   “The Black Beetle: Night Shift” is a well written pulp comic that is a joy to read from begging to end. It is well written, a page turner and has some of the best art the genre has seen this generation. “The Black Beetle” series and Francesco Francavilla are going places and those places will be huge.

COMICOSITY
THE HONOR ROLL
   It may have been the most flat out entertaining book of the week.

DANGER ROOM COMICS
Featured First
   Masterfully-illustrated, pulpy adventure! HIGHLY recommended!


THE WEEKLY-CRISIS

BLACK BEETLE: NIGHT SHIFT #0
   This is a story of high adventure, where moral dilemmas are pretty black and white, and it's an awful fun adventure to be on.

DEN OF GEEK
Black Beetle #0 (Dark Horse), Night Shift, Review 9/10★
   While reading the full color comic, I could practically hear the breathless tones of an old radio drama, or see the Black Beetle as the star of his own Republic serial. There's no doubt about it, boys and girls! The Black Beetle #0 was the best thing I read all week!

THE PARADOX COMICS GROUP
BLACK BEETLE #0 8/10★
   Clandestine Nazi agents, ancient mystical artifacts and an ice-cool, gun-wielding costumed crimefighter, presented in the comic format with style and aplomb? How could I not sign up for this?

MAJOR SPOILERS

Staff Picks of the Week

COMICS: THE GATHERING

Black Beetle : Night Shift #0 Review 8/10★
   Francavilla’s writing is straight forward with colourful characters, pulse pounding action and suspense.

GEEKING ALLY

The Weekly Pull: ‘Black Beetle: Night Shift’
   Pulp heroes, noir and fantastic art; this might just be the best $3 you spend all week!

COMPLEX
Review
Using heavy inks, deep colors, and powerful composition, Francavilla brings the fictional world of Colt City to life in style.

COMICS! THE BLOG
You Read These With Your Eyes!
   Artist Francesco Francavilla wears his pulp influences on his sleeve. From his colouring choices, to his sense of panel design, the majority of his work feels like it emerged from the radio drama days of old, when characters like The Shadow and The Spider reigned supreme.

And check out more reviews on THE BLACK BEETLE blog!

~~Ŧ~~


Look for more Black Beetle action on the shelves all year long, starting this January 16th with NO WAY OUT #1! :)

Happy New Year to you all! 

Cheers,
Francesco

THE BLACK BEETLE is here!

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     It's another Black Beetle inspired Pulp Sunday, and I hope that's ok with y'all :)
The reason is that this week the third cover of the series was revealed: you can see it above (first cover showcasing the name of the city BB operates in too) and here is the solicits text to tease you while you wait for the release (in March) ;)

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3
Written by Francesco Francavilla
Art by Francesco Francavilla
On sale March 20, 2013     
Under the watchful gaze of the mysterious Labyrinto, Black Beetle fights for his life! Is this the doing of a man that Black Beetle thought was dead? Could a zombie mobster be commanding the foes of Colt City’s dark avenger?! If he survives the night, the investigative insect will be left with questions to ponder as he takes his investigation . . . to the morgue!  

    Next we have a sneak peek at NO WAY OUT #1 that my editor Jim Gibbons kindly gave in his blog post on the Dark Horse website. I suggest to click on the image to really enjoy this spread in all its glory :)

    THE BLACK BEETLE NO WAY OUT #1 is still available for pre-orders: here's a pre-order form Dark Horse put together to make things easy for you. Just click on the image, print out the form, bring it to the shop, and -voila- it's done! :)




    Last but not least- BLACK BEETLE NIGHT SHIFT (aka #0) is coming out in stores this coming Wed. I received some advance copies and it's BEAUTIFUL (and I am not saying that just because it's my baby ;))

    If you missed the 3 part story in Dark Horse Presents, here's your chance to read it all in one place. And if you didn't miss the DHP issues, than you can still pickup this collected edt because of the brand new and retro pulp cover and the few pages of extra material we put in this.

    Check out the snapshot I took and see for yourself :)

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone, and Happy Holidays with family and friends. Taking next Sunday off but I will see you on the 30th. :)

Cheers,
Francesco

THE BLACK BEETLE Finds "NO WAY OUT" Of The Shadows

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

     I am so excited to share the latest 2 lobby cards with some support words from two comicbook legends and a huge inspiration of mine: Jim Steranko and Warren Ellis. I am lucky enough to call Jim a friend and he has always been enjoying The Black Beetle since the ashcan from a few years ago, so having his stamp of approval (being the Pulp authority he is) really means a lot to me.
     And to add another cherry to the pie, Warren asked to see the pages from issue 1, enjoyed it and gave me the blurb I used on the lobby card below. More thumbs up from these greats means I might be doing this right :) Let's hope I don't screw it up along the way ;)


     Issue #0 (collecting the NIGHT SHIFT 3-parter published in DHP plus extra material) is coming out in less than two weeks and there is still time to put in pre-orders for issue 1 coming out in January.

     Speaking of issue 1 of NO WAY OUT, here's an excerpt of an interview that was recently published on CBR (done with Daniel Glendening) in which I talk a bit of the story, The Black Beetle, and show some sneak peek of the book (first 3 pages).

~~Ŧ~~

     Back alleys shrouded in darkness and long shadows cast by dim streetlights, all-night diners and wise guy gangsters, esoteric artifacts and Nazi secret agents: this is the world readers have come to associate with classic noir, and the world readers will find in writer/artist Francesco Francavilla's "The Black Beetle" from Dark Horse Comics. With the release of "The Black Beetle" #0, collecting the three-part story "NightShift" that originally ran in Dark Horse's anthology series, "DarkHorse Presents," on December 19 and the subsequent launch of "The Black Beetle: No Way Out" four-issue miniseries on January 16, Francavilla continues his impressive rise in the comic book industry. Francavilla nabbed the 2012 Eisner Award for Best Cover Artist as well as the 2012 Eagle Award for Favourite Newcomer Artist. He brings his signature graphic, pulp aesthetic to every panel of his developing series, eagerly sharing the process on his "Black Beetle"-centered blog.

     "We are still at a very early phase of the Black Beetle's history," Francavilla told Comic Book Resources. "We know he operates in Colt City and we know he is some sort of masked vigilante or hero. The events in 'Night Shift' span one night -- We've learned what the Black Beetle is capable of, and where his 'base of operations' is located."

     The Black Beetle is a hero, to be sure, and he's willing to take a bullet in defense of the innocent. However, he is not without his flaws, as hinted at in "Night Shift," and Francavilla compares him to Humphrey Bogart's character Rick Blaine in the 1941 film, "Casablanca."

     "[The Black Beetle] operates outside the radar of the law, which allows him to get information on criminal activity in Colt City and act accordingly, sometimes adopting unorthodox measures," said Francavilla. "He is a hero, after all -- not a perfect hero, but still a hero."

[...]

      "There is something else going on more than just simply 'protecting the citizens of Colt City,'" said Francavilla. "What is that 'something else?' That's one of the major plot-points that we'll discover a bit at a time through the next several issues in the series."

[...]

    "A main goal I had for this book is to explore several genres of the pulps," Francavilla explained. "'Night Shift' was a mix of spy-war story with some supernatural elements, while 'No Way Out' is more of a crime-mystery story."

     Francavilla cites the pulp and noir films and serials of the 1930s, '40s and '50s as direct influences on The Black Beetle, as well as classic pulp crime fiction writers like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. The series is also clearly indebted to early masked-heroes like The Shadow and The Spider.

     "I always loved the high entertainment value of those stories," said Francavilla. "You didn't need to know much going in except that some bad guy is going to do something bad and The Shadow or The Spider was going to take care of him. Same goes with the gangster or crime movies from that period: you were going in without any pre-conception or knowledge of the characters; getting to meet the hero (or anti-hero) during the movie, and deciding to like or hate him or her at the end. You probably thought you knew how the movie was going to end, but somehow the whole experience wasn't as predictable as you thought. And that made it fun, entertaining. Hopefully I will be able to achieve the same effect with 'The Black Beetle.'"

~~Ŧ~~

So please spread the word about BB, pre-order #1 and #2, tell your store to order some extra copies, and -last but not least- have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

PULP Triple Feature! The SHADOW ~ The BLACK BEETLE ~ The SPIDER!

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Hello Pulp Friends,

Time for another TRIPLE Feature featuring The Shadow, The Spider, and that new guy, The Black Beetle! :)

Above and below are the covers for The Shadow #11 and the Spider #9 (both out in February) and a couple of new lobby card I did for The Black Beetle #1, featuring a quote by dear friends MATT WAGNER (remember our Zorro and Green Hornet runs?) and STEVE NILES (my partner in crime on the adaptation of Frazetta's DRACULA MEETS WOLF-MAN)

All these 3 titles are in this month's Previews, including my own BLACK BEETLE #2: please pre-order #1 as well, since there is still time to do so - the success of the book will depend by those numbers, so I can't stress enough :)




Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

The SHADOW ~ The BLACK BEETLE ~ The SPIDER! A PULP Triple Feature

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Hello Pulp Friends,

Today we have a TRIPLE Feature of three Pulp icons (well, Black Beetle sure hopes to become one ;)).

I give you the covers for The Shadow #10 and the Spider #8  and a new lobby card I did for The Black Beetle #1, featuring a quote by dear friend Rick Remender (my partner in crime on SORROW and other books like FEAR AGENT and SEA OF RED, now acclaimed writer of the new relaunched Captain America)


All these 3 books are in this month Previews and once again I invite you to pre-order them, especially my own BLACK BEETLE #1: the success of it will depend by those numbers, so I can't stress enough :)

And here is the solicits for issue 1.

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #1 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Jan 16. FC, 32 pages $3.99

Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?



Last but not least, a heartfelt THANKS goes to all the Veterans out there: Happy Veteran's Day!

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco

Pulp Double Feature: THE BLACK BEETLE in "NO WAY OUT" #1 & #2

~~ Click on the images for biggie ~~

Hello Pulp Friends,

Today's Double Feature is a very special one becuase it features a pulp hero very dear to me: my own BLACK BEETLE! :)

Here are the covers for THE BLACK BEETLE #1 (above) and #2 (below), now available for preorders.

I can't stress enough how important is for a new book to get as many pre-orders as possible, and in this specific case I invite you to do it even more: The Black Beetle's future kind of depends on it. The better number it gets, the more DH will ask me to draw more, which is exactly what I want to do: got so many stories planned for our favorite neo-pulp hero, and I will only be able to tell them if we get the book selling enough copies to justify the printing run. Yes, now with the digital comics you can get around that, but Black beetle has to be printed on paper: it's PULP after all ;)

Hope you guys pre-order these two issues (and the next 2) and tell your LCS to order a few copies as well.
I am putting some promo lobby cards as well with quotes from some of my friends. Above is the first one from the sweet and talented writer Gail Simone. More coming this week and the next ones.

And here are the solicts for issue 1 and 2.

THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #1 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Jan 16. FC, 32 pages $3.99

Black Beetle’s investigation of two local mob bosses is interrupted when a mysterious explosion murders them and a pub full of gangsters—taking out most of Colt City’s organized crime in one fell swoop. Who could pull off such a coup, and what danger might that murderous bomber do to Colt City and Black Beetle?


THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #2 (of 4)
Francesco Francavilla (W/A/Cover)
On sale Feb 20. FC, 32 pages $3.99

While investigating a mysterious mass murder that leveled Colt City’s mob bosses, Black Beetle gets wrapped up in a puzzling maze of clues. Could the appearance of a costumed criminal named Labyrinto be related to the destruction of the powerful organized-crime racket?

I am very EXCITED about this finally coming out. And if you are too, pls leave a note and let's turn this blog post in a BB love-fest :)

Have a wonderful Pulp Sunday, everyone :)

Cheers,
Francesco