Fox Atomic Comics and BOOM! Studios announce "28 Days Later" Comics

Fox Atomic Comics and BOOM! Studios announced at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, WA that July will see 28 DAYS LATER return to comic books and graphic novels.

Initial launch story will be firmly based in 28 DAYS LATER continuity with the first arc focusing on Selena. Bridging the gap between 28 DAYS LATER and 28 WEEKS LATER, a few key questions will be answered along the way: what happened to Selena after 28 DAYS LATER? How did Selena happen upon the machete she wields in 28 DAYS LATER?

The film franchise has grossed over $145 million globally and been named by the cable channel Bravo as having one of "The 100 Scariest Movie Moments" -- Empire Magazine honored it as one of the "500 Greatest Movies of All Time." The New York Times called it "Bracingly smart."

Fox Atomic first made a splash with a series of SpikeTV Award-winning original graphic novels in 2007 including 28 DAYS LATER: THE AFTERMATH, featuring work from 30 DAYS OF NIGHT creator Steve Niles, followed by THE HILLS HAVE EYES: THE BEGINNING written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. A third graphic novel, the International Horror Guild Award-winning THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY was also released, adapting stories from Bram Stoker and World Fantasy Award-winner Thomas Ligotti. THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY: VOLUME TWO, the second graphic novel in the series, followed in 2008.

The new Fox Atomic Comics and BOOM! Studios collaboration will see titles serialized as individual single issue comic books before being collected into trade paperback graphic novels available in the direct and mass bookstore markets. 28 DAYS LATER #1 is the first in the series for this new collaboration.

The Fox Atomic Comics - BOOM! Studios venture will see a broad expansion of Fox Atomic's titles after its previous success. Partners are keeping the specific details of the series under wraps with expectations for further announcements later in the convention season featuring marquee series and high-profile creators.

About BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios (http://www.boom-studios.com/) is a unique new publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents. In its inaugural year, Wizard Magazine named BOOM! "Best New Publisher." Founded by the creator of the TV show EUREKA, Andrew Cosby, and his partner Ross Richie, BOOM! Studios continues to be on the leading edge of comic and graphic novel publishing.

About Fox Atomic

Fox Atomic (http://www.foxatomic.com/) is a culturally branded entertainment company producing theatrical movies and digital content targeting the 17-24 year old demographic. Atomic also houses a graphic novel division. Formed in 2006, this entity of Fox Filmed Entertainment produces and acquires product spanning all media. Fox Atomic is a unit of Fox Filmed Entertainment, a unit of Fox Entertainment Group.

"Kill or Cure" by Rebecca Levene

"Kill or Cure"

by Rebecca Levene

Format: Paperback, 304 pages

Publisher: Abaddon Books

Jasmine has spent five years underground, locked in a secret government bunker with no one but the skeletons of her colleagues for company. Outside, the world has gone to hell, a mysterious virus killing all but 1 in 20 of the world's population.

It's enough to drive anyone mad ­ but Jasmine's crazier than most. The cure she was working on had an unexpected side effect, psychotic symptoms which only the most powerful drugs can suppress. Jasmine's rescuers, the pirate rulers of the new Caribbean, don't care ­ they need her help to discover what it is that has turned the inhabitants of Cuba into rabid killers who experience neither fear nor pain. Jasmine's quest to find a cure for this new plague, as well as for her own barely suppressed madness, draws her across the fractured continent of America and into the darkest recesses of her own past.

One of my favorite sub-genres of Science Fiction, if not my top favorite, is post-apocalyptic fiction and one of the series that feeds my readings with such novels is The Afterblight Chronicles published by Abaddon Books. Also, from time to time I feel the need to read a book which is packed with action scenes and adrenaline rush and this time Rebecca Levene’s novel, “Kill or Cure”, set in The Afterblight Chronicles universe offered me this read.

Rebecca Levene’s novel is very similar with a run in full flight, a run which gives very few moments to take your breath. “Kill or Cure” is fully packed with actions scenes, set in a violent world and in which only the strongest may survive. The novel takes place in the usual setting of “The Afterblight Chronicles”, after the world was devastated by a virus, the Cull, which killed all the population who doesn’t have a 0 negative blood type. What I find very interesting at this setting, and it shows really well in this novel too, is the fact that the world turned from a paranoid and violent one into an even more violent one. I believe that such a scenario is not a very pleasant one, but plausible nonetheless. Also, very interesting is that the novel points out one resource that becomes the most precious, humans.

The main character, Jasmine, is an interesting one, with great difficulties in facing her addiction on anti-psychotics and the human encounter after five years of isolation. Also it is interesting to see the changes she suffers since her world has fallen and the new one puts her in front of decisions and reactions she hasn’t imagined before. Together with Jasmine, other four characters will race across the North American continent and the Caribbean and will spill their share of blood. What supplements this group’s raised pulse adventures is the intrigue of the story and the unexpected twists and turns.

Rebecca Levene’s “Kill or Cure” is another Afterblight Chronicles book which is fun and relaxing, full of action scenes, bloodshed and a dark vision of the future of our world (but not completely hopeless).

Re-reading Song of Ice and Fire blog

Many fantasy fans and readers are eagerly waiting for the appearance of George R.R. Martin’s “A Dance of Dragons” and I have to admit that I am one of them. However, I am a patient one and I believe that the novel will appear at the right time and George R.R. Martin will delight the “A Song of Ice and Fire” lovers with another great book. I started a re-reading of the first four novels of the series last year, but unfortunately due to a pretty busy schedule I finished only the re-reading of “A Game of Thrones”. But there is no problem with that for two reasons. First is that I scheduled my return to the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros after the release of “A Dance of Dragons” and which will make my re-reading even more pleasant. And second is that now I can recount the novels at a new blog dedicated to the re-reading of “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, soiaf.fantasy-fan.org. Here I can refresh my memory through presentations of each chapter from each novel, quotes and short commentaries regarding the respective chapter. So, until George R.R. Martin will blow me apart with the next novel I’ll visit with pleasure this blog dedicated to the re-reading of his wonderful series.

My new love

While I was away I received my first order from a new on-line library I discovered, The Book Depository. I have to say that I am truly in love with this site and how can I not be since their shipping costs to Romania are zero. I couldn’t believe it when I read it the first time, but after I ordered my first items and received them in excellent conditions I live a dream. And believe me, my pockets are a little fuller after such an order since my orders from other such sites had some pretty high shipping costs. I usually put money aside for bigger orders, because that way the average costs of books, with the shipping costs included, were a little cheaper than many of the Romanian editions. On The Book Depository the prices are a just a bit higher than Amazon, but that’s absolutely no problem, since I can save a lot of money from the shipping costs. And who knows, this might mean new bookshelves for my library.

"Twelve" by Jasper Kent

"Twelve"

by Jasper Kent

Format: Paperback, 480 pages

Publisher: Bantam Press

The voordalak are a creature of legend, tales of which have terrified Russian children for generations. But for Captain Aleksei Ivanonvich Danilov—a child of more enlightened times—it is a legend that has long been forgotten. Besides, in the autumn of 1812, he faces a more tangible enemy—the Grande Armée of Napoleon Bonaparte.

City after city has fallen to the advancing French, and now it seems that only a miracle will keep them from Moscow itself. In desperation, Aleksei and his comrades enlist the help of the Oprichniki—a group of twelve mercenaries from the furthest reaches of Christian Europe—who claim that they can turn the tide of the war. It seems an idle boast, but the Russians soon discover that the Oprichniki are indeed quite capable of fulfilling their promise.

Unnerved by the fact that so few can accomplish so much, Aleksei remembers those childhood stories of the voordalak. And as he comes to understand the true, horrific nature of these twelve strangers, he realizes that they’ve unleashed a nightmare in their midst…

I have to admit from the beginning that my relationship with vampire stories was always with ups and downs and it always depends on many factors. My initial encounter with the Jasper Kent’s debut novel, “Twelve”, was with its blend statement between historical fiction and supernatural aspects which made me more than curious. I will admit also from the beginning that I wasn’t disappointed at all.

The main plot of the novel concentrates on the supernatural aspects and the interaction of the characters with these aspects, but it is gravitated by many other smaller or bigger aspects that enrich the story and made me enjoy it for each one of them. Jasper Kent excellently sets his vampire story into one of our historical tumultuous era, but the link between the supernatural aspect and the historical setting goes deeper than the initial premise, there is a parallel between these two that set me well on thoughts. “Twelve” is also a story about humanity, human emotions, patriotism and above all, about war.

Jasper Kent pictures a country, Russia, and a city, Moscow, invaded by the Napoleon’s army with talent and details that can bring him only praise. The author also recreates with accuracy an overwhelming atmosphere of an invaded country and city and I could almost feel the fear and the insecurity of the citizens. I believe that because this atmosphere and care for details throughout the course of the story war becomes a character in itself. With ease two particular scenes jump to my memory, one involving a dragoon searching a place in the carts transporting the wounded for his friend and the scene of the French army crossing the Berezina River. And through such scenes I wondered in many places who will prove to be more inhuman, the vampires or the humans themselves.

The main characters are four Russian officers with an espionage mission and the story is told from the perspective of one of these officers, Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov. Jasper Kent proves his talent too and makes from Aleksei Ivanovich an interesting character, building him not only through his present actions, but through his memories of war as well. I become attached to this character pretty quickly and I really liked to see all his emotions, to see how he is torn between loyalties, duties and feelings. And his unconventional love story with Domnikiia adds new layers to the complexity of his character. I could also feel that if he were not facing the twisted reality of war his actions might have been different.

Jasper Kent creates with talent a wonderful novel, but “Twelve” is not entirely without flaws. The novel starts slowly, the author taking his time in introducing the reader to the setting and plot. Also, as the story draws to an end it is heading to an obvious conflict, compensated however by an interesting twist in the plot. There are moments that didn’t sounded right to me, for example an exhausted and wounded Aleksei Ivanovich spending a night in the Russian winter outside (I believe he would have freeze to death) or a scene where the same Aleksei is deceived, but I find it hard to achieve such an outcome with so little information. Fortunately, these flaws and moments are heavily overwhelmed by the good and strong aspects of the novel.

It is hard for me to set “Twelve” in a particular category, because the novel is an original one and its characteristics and setting can satisfy the readers of different genres. But it is easy for me to say that Jasper Kent proves great talent and imagination and its debut is an excellent and powerful one.

Cover art & Table of Contents

Morrigan Books unveiled the cover art for another of its anthologies, “The Phantom Queen Awakes”, made by the art director of the publishing house, Reece Notley. The anthology, like the first one published by Morrigan Books, “Voices”, is edited by Mark S. Deniz and Amanda Pillar and is dedicated to the goddess Morrigan who gives its name to this young but promising publishing house. Also together with the cover art was announced the Table of Contents of “The Phantom Queen Awakes”, where we can find names like Katharine Kerr, Elaine Cunningham or C.E. Murphy:

- Rising Tide - Ruth Shelton
- Kiss of the Morrigan - Anya Bast
- I Guard Your Death - Lynne Lumsden Green
- Gifts of the Morrigan - Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
- Cairn Dancer - C. E. Murphy
- Washerwoman - Jennifer Lawrence
- The Raven’s Curse - Sharon Kae Reamer
- Ravens - Mari Ness
- The Lass from Far Away - Katharine Kerr
- The Trinket - Peter Bell
- The Dying Gaul - Michael Bailey
- The Children of Badb Catha - James Lecky
- Plain of Pillars - L. J. Hayward
- The Silver Branch - Linda Donahue
- The Good and Faithful Servant - Martyn Taylor
- White Heifer - T. A. Moore
- She Who is Becoming - Elaine Cunningham

The title will be released on 31st of October 2009.

Back home

Hi everyone, I hope you are well. I returned yesterday and I will resume the regular schedule very soon. While I was away I finished Jasper Kent’s “Twelve” (which is an interesting novel) and one of the Afterblight Chronicles novels, “Kill or Cure” by Rebecca Levene. But the next day after a business trip is always a bit crazy at work and adding to this that today is my birthday I’ll have quite a busy day and I will not be able to start the reviews for this books. But I promise that I’ll start working on them tomorrow and hopefully they’ll be ready until the end of the week. It is nice to see you again :)