Month: August 2025

It’s been a long strange trip to get here, but now that I’ve embarked on the journey, I’ve had to take a breather and contemplate where the journey is taking me. All I ever wanted to do in life since I was a kid was draw pictures. It didn’t matter what the pictures were about, but I knew I wanted to draw them, and comics seemed like the perfect outlet.

Then I discovered if I wanted to ensure I was able to get paying work, I might have to take on other tasks, such as writing, inking and/or coloring if the drawing assignment wasn’t available, or if I wanted to generate my own drawing assignment. More often than not, I found I usually had to create my own opportunities.

After my legal battle with Archie, I found I was at a crossroads. I didn’t want to go back and do work for others that I didn’t own, but I wasn’t sure what the best path was to moving forward. So I began work on a couple of projects. The first was a story called THE STORM, which was helping me gather my thoughts where I wanted to take my characters, and the other was the beginning of what was turning out to be the graphic novel THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS.

As work progressed, I found myself wondering exactly how I would get these projects out to the public in a way that would provide income for myself. I knew I didn’t want to do a monthly comic book, as I saw way too many creators struggle trying to achieve that if they weren’t working for an established company. And even if they were, there was no guarantee of any long-term sustainability.

I soon found myself drawn to the possibility of digital comics. But even with that, I knew I didn’t want to do what everyone else generally seemed to be doing. I wanted to take full advantage of the possibilities the digital format offered. Doing it all by myself, I soon discovered, was taking more time than I anticipated. Even so, I was much happier with how things were taking shape.

I was content to stay this path until a printing representative presented me with her business card at the San Diego Comic-Con back in 2023 and asked me for my specifics for the type of book project I’d like to do. By this point, I’d been asked more than enough times when I was actually going to release something. So I provided those specifics, and thought that would be that.

As I was living with a sales representative for almost thirty years at the time, I should have been prepared when the rep who asked me for my specifics came back with a price quote. I always never make a big purchase without seeing what the alternatives are, but there had been a printing rep who’d been asking me the same question for a number of years, and I never responded with anything definitive as I didn’t feel ready to do anything. Now having a real price quote staring me in the face, I decided to ask the printing rep who had been staying in contact what he could do for me given the same parameters of the print job.

When he returned with a quote that was more than competitive with the first quote, I was now faced with a choice: move forward or continue puttering around with not much to show. So I decided to roll the dice and move forward.

The first question I had: was the project financially viable? I wasn’t a top Marvel or DC artist, and it had been almost twenty years since I last worked on the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG series published by Archie, so I had to know if the support was there from the beginning or else the whole project would be doomed from the start.

I therefore announced I would be taking pre-orders on a book titled THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS, which would be a mix of old and new material. As I wasn’t sure if long-time readers were a big enough market, I knew I had to make the book accessible to new readers as well, and I made it clear in my promotional effort that one didn’t have to know any of the backstory beyond the material presented in the book.

Pre-orders started slow, but they were steady, enough so that I was able to commit to the 50% deposit required. Once the deposit was made, I was now on the clock and had to motivate even more sales. Thus, I offered a free random signed copy of either a SONIC or KNUCKLES comic along with a full color signed Lara-Su postcard in addition to the book. I even made the offer retroactive to those who already ordered, ending the promotion once the books had been delivered in my possession.

This enabled me to pay the remaining printing and shipping charges I now owed. Once the books arrived and began shipping, it didn’t take long for readers to decide they liked the finished product enough that they recommended it to others.

Of course it helped the book arrived in time for me to begin promoting it at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con. As sales increased, it encouraged me to begin thinking about my next effort, which I thought would be SHATTERED TOMORROWS, but I wasn’t ready to think about a print version just yet. I needed to first see how that would work as an app release.

My answer to the question of whether or not to move forward with another book turned out to be a young man who approached me at my table at the same convention I was premiering BEGINNINGS and said he wanted to work with me on a project. He didn’t want to write or draw, just color. So I asked him to submit samples and told him the samples would form the basis of my decision. The big problem I had with his request was my reluctance to take on anyone as I had no money in the budget to pay anyone properly. Even though he said the money (or lack of it) didn’t matter, it did to me.

My better half Bernadette reminded me of all the times I did free work in order to land a job, not to mention drawing complete issues for free for some form of ownership stake in the project. So the young man and I came to an understanding, and thus began work on the KNUCKLES OMNIBUS, always with an eye on releasing the book prior to the 2025 San Diego Comic Convention.

While the KEN PENDERS’ KNUCKLES OMNIBUS VOLUME ONE was at the printers, I wanted to focus on getting the LARA-SU APP completed and released, but based on the experience putting together the KNUCKLES OMNIBUS, the young man whose work I was promoting was interested in doing more, and since I had been discussing with Scott Shaw! himself over hot dogs at Fab’s the possibility of releasing a book focused on his Archie SONIC work, the SCOTT SHAW!’S SONIC DAYS book began to take shape.

Since I felt Scott was better served by others who could place his accomplishments in their proper context, I enlisted the services of my app programmer, Patrick Luque, a huge Sonic fan in his own right ever since I first met him when he was nine years old back in the ’90s, to organize and edit the project. I even requested he write a forward placing Scott’s work in historical context where the Sonic franchise was concerned.

As the project came together, I decided to shoot for a Christmas release for the simple reason of seeing if the audience I was building wanted to grow along with me.

At this time, the results are looking positive for Floating Island Productions to release more material, but it’s critical the audience not only continues to support the various projects, but that the audience grows to the point that it enables people involved to be fairly paid, and not just me.

Once Scott’s book goes to the printer, my attention will be centered solely on the LARA-SU APP along with the writing and drawing of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: SHATTERED TOMORROWS. Only my efforts making sure everyone receives their pre-ordered copies of SONIC DAYS when they do arrive will interrupt that process.

My game plan for Floating Island Productions to continue and grow involves working on 2 different books for release at the 2026 San Diego Comic Convention, primarily out of economic concerns. If I do one book, it’s the cost of printing plus – at a minimum – $1700 in shipping costs. If I do 2 books at the same time, I can probably get a break on the cost of printing but more importantly, shipping 2 books at the same time would cost FIP $2000 instead of $3400.

Also, the retail price of both books would be on a par with SONIC DAYS, about $50 per book, allowing me to put out a high quality product within range of most people’s budgets.

The big question mark at this time is whether I have the people to maintain the quality. Make no mistake, Ethan Alvaree is doing a fantastic job on SONIC DAYS, surpassing his work on the KNUCKLES OMNIBUS, but Ethan also has a life and a full-time job outside of comics and can only do so much. While he is capable of getting the next two volumes ready for printing, at some point it will be necessary to add another colorist because of the limits of time and the production schedule.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention my translators – Adalisa, Alice, Amanda, Ana, Andrey and Magnus – who’ve been working with me since prior to COVID to help make the LARA-SU APP accessible on a global scale. They’ve stuck with me through thick and thin, and I can’t express enough how thankful I am for them.

It also goes without saying the LARA-SU APP in its present form would not even exist without the efforts of Patrick Luque. Patrick has been invaluable over the years with his skill set that I can’t even quantify what Floating Island Productions would be today without him.

Last but not least is my better half, Bernadette, who has been with me almost from the very beginning of my SONIC experience with Archie. She has seen history unfold and met all the players involved. More importantly, she has been my rock throughout.

Getting back to the release schedule, while the one volume I have on the drawing board – THE SHADOW FILES – will be more dependent upon the original coloring, the other volume – HER MAJESTY SALLY – will require extensive recoloring, especially on the early stories. While it seems the time between September 2025 and late March 2026 should be more than sufficient to get both books assembled properly, trust me when I say there will be plenty of late nights before both books go to press. (And it’ll be all I can do to make sure SHATTERED TOMORROWS has a Christmas 2026 release.)

Once those books go to press, work will have to begin on KEN PENDERS’ KNUCKLES OMNIBUS VOLUME TWO almost immediately to have that ready for Comic-Con 2027, followed by preparations for 2027’s planned Christmas release, GEOFFREY ST JOHN: ON HIS MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE.

The spotlight on Geoffrey will be different because other than Lara-Su, Geoffrey’s collection will mark the first time a collection will not only feature stories Geoffrey appeared in during the original Archie SONIC run, it will also include an entirely new story that connects the original run with THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES.

What will also make this book different is that for the first time I’m seriously considering hiring an artist to do the pencils from my original script. The inking and coloring have yet to be determined, but this is something that only the people who support what FIP is doing can make possible.

While I’m considering adding a DONATE button to the website to help with the costs of this website and production of the books along with the app, I’d rather people buy a book and get something for their money. I still have a lot of copies available of THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS along with KEN PENDERS’ KNUCKLES OMNIBUS VOLUME ONE. The early to mid-sales are doing the heavy lifting of covering the costs while it’s the remainder of the print runs that bring in the profit that makes all things possible.

If you’ve been following the latest comics industry news, distribution has become a big problem thanks to the collapse of Diamond Distribution. Considering what a number of publishers are having to deal with, I believe I made the right call selling only through my website, at conventions and on EBay. But Diamond isn’t the only problem.

The last time I checked, and unless someone has numbers that show otherwise, there are about 2000 comic book retailers in the USA alone. Of that amount, maybe more than a third are inclined to order product beyond just the usual Marvel and DC fare. After that, it’s questionable how many would’ve supported a $35.99 hardcover even with a retailer discount.

Currently, the earliest I can contemplate bringing out a KEN PENDERS’ SONIC OMNIBUS VOLUME ONE is summer of 2028, and there’s some question already whether there’ll even be a Comic-Con that summer as the Olympics will be taking place in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California, including San Diego. That in turn will decide when THE LARA-SU CHRONICLES: THE DARK DOMINION will make its debut, Christmas 2028 or Summer 2029.

That leaves the remaining two KNUCKLES OMNIBUSES and three SONIC OMNIBUSES before I get to the other remaining material, hopefully with the involvement of the creators who actually wrote and illustrated the material.

In the meantime, I apologize for once again sounding like a commercial, but I don’t do Kickstarter or Go Fund Me, and you’re all I’ve got. A fact I’m extremely grateful for. As usual, your comments and questions are always welcome by emailing me here. And yes, go buy a book. If you’ve already done that, buy a gift for a friend. Thanks and take care.

Screw the haters. There’s no need to compare SUPERMAN with FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. Both were great films, and both were truer to their comic book roots than the vast majority of comic book films combined. While I love both films, I’m here to talk about FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. And make no mistake, this is a GREAT film. Every frame of this movie sprang 100% from the imagination of Jack Kirby and it is all the better for it.

Also ignore comments of superhero fatigue. People using this phrase are lazy, lack imagination or critical analytical skills. No one is forcing anyone to sit through a movie based on a comic book series, and there are vast differences between FF: FS and the majority of not only Marvel films, but comic book-based films in general. For my money, horror is a pretty well-played out genre that surpasses any so-called superhero fatigue.

One doesn’t need to have watched every Marvel film or TV series – or even previous FANTASTIC FOUR films – to understand the characters or the basic story. The film opens on a very human moment never before seen in any comic book film, then efficiently provides all the basic info on the characters and background before getting into the actual story proper.

Not only are they establishing the characters, they’re establishing actual Fantastic Four history directly from the comics, recreating in live action the cover art from FANTASTIC FOUR issue 1 while at the same time introducing the villain from that same issue – the Mole Man – as he launches his attack on New York City exactly as shown in FANTASTIC FOUR issue 31. While another historic foe, the Red Ghost, isn’t shown, his super apes are seen battling with Mr Fantastic. The Mad Thinker, the Wizard and Diablo are also given shout-outs in the build-up to the arrival of the Silver Surfer, appearing exactly as the character was shown in FANTASTIC FOUR issue 48.

Did I care the Surfer was a female in this version? Not in the slightest, as it’s established we’re watching events unfold on Earth-828. Thus, the multi-verse allows for some discrepancies with comics and MCU continuity. Even with the changes in plot and story details, the film manages to remain incredibly faithful to events that transpired in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR issues 48 thru 50 while adding in events from FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL 6. The story structure reminded me of the best Bond films that were true to the Ian Fleming novels, making changes only where it made sense for the film.

I’ve heard people – even a well-known comics creator or two – say the film is boring, to which I say, “On what planet?” The film moves like gangbusters, going from one set piece to the next with a sprinkling of quiet family moments that show us how much the characters mean to each other. The trip to find Galactus and eventual getaway was equal parts jaw-dropping, on the edge of one’s seat tense and relief with joy.

The only other criticism I didn’t get was anyone complaining about H.E.R.B.I.E. While I wasn’t enamored with the character in the 1979 cartoon series, he was wonderful here in the film, providing comic relief when necessary and demonstrating his usefulness the rest of the time. The film wouldn’t be the same without him and a return appearance is much warranted.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t praise the work of Cinematographer Jess Hall, whose work was utterly stellar in capturing visuals Jack Kirby himself would be proud of. This is a film that deserves to be seen in 3D IMAX because anything less doesn’t display the full grandeur depicted onscreen, especially the IMAX screen at the AMC Universal 19. I’ve seen it twice in that format and the second time was even better. There were shot compositions I wanted to frame and hang on my wall as they were that astounding.

The film was exceptionally well cast, so much so they visually looked like they stepped out of a Kirby-Sinnott issue of FANTASTIC FOUR. Although Pedro Pascal’s mustache took a little getting used to, as I watched his portrayal of Reed Richards, I couldn’t help but notice overall how much he closely resembled Jack’s depiction on the page. In the end, the entire cast won me over. These were the characters I grew up with and loved for the past 60 years.

Will I see another FANTASTIC FOUR film? If they have this cast, absolutely! What I don’t get are the critics. This film had everything – and I mean EVERYTHING – in spades. It was not only most comic-faithful rendition, it was the most cosmic, the most family-oriented, the most epic, with plenty of charm and humor to spare. It even had a Kirby & Lee blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo set in the Marvel offices adorned with actual Jack Kirby art, with Kirby getting the last word in while Lee was the silent observer. So what was there to criticize and complain about?

If I had to guess why families didn’t turn out as much for this as they did for SUPERMAN has to do with the family budget. Taking a family to the movies these days, especially seeing a film on an IMAX screen, is an expensive proposition. Both of the these films needed to be seen in the IMAX format, but it would’ve been better had both had some breathing room between them, as they both catered to the same audience.

Streaming as upended the theatrical movie-going experience to the point where I no longer go see a film in a theater unless it warrants a premium screen experience. Out of all the trailers I saw before the screening of FF: FS, only the new AVATAR sequel coming for Christmas and possibly PROJECT HAIL MAIL warrant me breaking open the wallet. I can wait for the others that interested me to hit streaming.

My hope now is they at least do a 3D Blu-ray release of FF: FS as I’m not going to bother with the smaller screens at current prices.

As for where this stacks up in my Top 5 Comic Book Films; it’s a toss-up between CAPTAIN AMERICA FIRST AVENGER and FF: FS, then WINTER SOLDIER, then BLACK WIDOW, followed by SUPERMAN. I know there will be people who disagree with this list and more power to them. This is my list and the hill I’ll die on. I would say the 1st IRON MAN, DR STRANGE, THE DARK KNIGHT, the 1st CHRISTOPHER REEVE SUPERMAN and ROAD TO PERDITION fill out my next 5. (Yes, that last one qualifies as a comic book film.)

So yes, if you want a fun, jaw-dropping, exciting thrill ride of a time, you won’t find any better in the theaters this week than FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS.

It’s only now that I’m up for writing about my time during the San Diego Comic-Con. It’s definitely not what it was when I first started attending and promoting my work. It couldn’t be, as I first attended the con as a guest of DC Comics back in 1990 and the convention hall itself only consisted of sections A, B and C. It would be years before ground was broken to construct what exists today.

I had arrived and set up my table on Tuesday prior to Preview Night, which made everything a lot more manageable as I didn’t have to rush in Wednesday trying to find parking and getting my books and portfolios into the building just before the crowds were let in. The next 4 days after Preview Night were a blur of meeting people, promoting my book, and checking out various points and people of interest throughout the hall.

After the convention, I took my family out to dinner in Little Italy where we enjoyed a great meal at Mimmo’s. It was a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. Both the food and service were excellent.

Once I was back at the hotel where I was staying, I was able to reflect on what transpired over the past several days. The best part were the familiar faces that showed up once again to check in to see what I was up to. It’s absolutely amazing to discover the people who travel a great distance just to see you so they could tell you how much your work means to them. It definitely makes one humble.

It was also encouraging to see people embrace my latest efforts such as the KEN PENDERS’ KNUCKLES OMNIBUS VOLUME ONE and THE LARA_SU CHRONICLES: BEGINNINGS, to say nothing of my FALLEN SCOURGE and both of my SHADOW prints. I also sold out of the SONIC SELECT books I brought, but it’s clear I’m foregoing bringing any back issues with me to any further shows. I’m content to sell those strictly through my online web store or through EBay.

People definitely were asking about SCOTT SHAW!’S SONIC DAYS, and with news the tariffs may not affect that project at all, I made a unilateral decision to move forward with the publication of the book while at the convention. Ethan has been busy recoloring everything and is close to finishing up, while Scott has been thrilled with everything he’s seen so far. I’m a little bit anxious about this project myself as it’ll mark the first time my role on a book is solely as a publisher / production artist. I make no claims to having contributed any writing, penciling, inking, lettering or coloring where the stories and art are concerned with this book.

While reaction to the books have been great, please forgive me for sounding like a commercial frequently. Because I only sell the books through my website initially, I have to make sure enough sales are generated to at least pay for printing and shipping. It isn’t until the books are in my hand that I can begin selling on Ebay as well. Then I still need to keep generating sales so I can pay creators their royalties and others involved in the production of the books as well as other expenses. Running a website like I have isn’t free, and there are numerous other business costs involved.

Planning for the long-term is beginning to take shape. As I prepare getting SCOTT SHAW!’S SONIC DAYS ready for the printer, I’m adding new material to the LARA-SU APP in getting that ready for release. I’m also in the early stages of planning the Mobian Adventure Line’s following releases, THE SHADOW FILES and HER MAJESTY SALLY for release by the time the San Diego Comic-Con arrives in 2026.

As for further convention appearances, the Los Angeles Comic-Con taking place this September from the 26th thru the 28th is the next on my docket. Beyond that, everything is up in the air, but I hope to do more on that front.

So while I get back to my drawing board, I ask that if you’ve been thinking of getting either BEGINNINGS or the KNUCKLES OMNIBUS, I ask you do it sooner rather than later as it makes all things possible where Floating Island Productions and the Mobian Adventure line are concerned. What I’ve found out during Comic-Con is that I’m doing good by my fellow creators where many other publishers aren’t, and that’s only made possible because of everyone’s support. The creators appreciate it and so do I. Thank you.