Mainstream superhero comics have become pretty grim over the last couple of decades. DC, the home of Superman and Batman, is no stranger to this trend. Not too long ago, the Joker cut off his own face in Detective Comics. In Teen Titans, Wonder Dog turned into a crazed beast and mauled two characters. Former Green Arrow sidekick Arsenal attacked some guys in an alley because, in his drugged mind, he mistook a dead cat for his daughter. What happened to all of the fun and hopeful comics?

There is a place for dark, gritty storytelling in superhero comics. Still, it’s easy for readers to feel overwhelmed with the increasingly mature output of mainstream superhero publishers. Thankfully, in an ocean of grimdark stories, readers still can find the occasional oasis of superhero tales that are bright, optimistic, and fun. Here are five of the most underappreciated DC comic book runs that put fun first.

5. Smallville: Season 11

Smallville is both famous and infamous. The television series premiered in 2001 and attempted to bring superheroes to the small screen. In order to make Superman appealing to younger viewers, creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar focused on a teenage Clark Kent. The ten seasons of Smallville were, in essence, his journey toward becoming Superman.

The show, throughout much of its run, rejected the trappings of the comic books. “No flights, no tights” was the basic rule of the series. When the finale aired in 2011, the show still refused to put star Tom Welling into a Superman suit. Fans of this version of Clark Kent never got to see “their” Superman in action. Then, in 2012, DC comics returned to the world of Smallville with a Season 11 comic book continuation. Bryan Q. Miller was brought into the fold as writer, in part thanks to his extensive history with the franchise. Miller actually started his television career as an unpaid intern for Smallville. Before the series was over, he had become its Executive Story Editor.

What Makes Smallville: Season 11 So Much Fun?
As a continuation of Smallville, the book is nearly flawless. Miller obviously knows these characters and does a fantastic job picking up where they left off. More than that, he manages to boldly move many of the characters in new directions.

The art is also quite good, thanks to a rotating staff of artists. Although some artists attempt to capture the likeness of the actors, most focus on drawing the characters themselves. This creates some inconsistency between story arcs, but it never distracts from the overall sensibilities of the book.

The appeal of Smallville: Season 11, however, goes a lot deeper than seeing Tom Welling’s version of Clark Kent properly become Superman. There’s more to enjoy here than catching up with beloved television characters. The stories are simply really good Superman tales.

A More Traditional Superman Comic
At the time Smallville: Season 11 hit shelves, DC was going through its “New 52” reboot. Two main continuity Superman comics were available at the time. In Action Comics, Grant Morrison was crafting a highly unusual, but fun Year One style Superman story. A younger, inexperienced Clark Kent fought against injustice while still coming into his full powers.

In Superman, Dan Jurgens tried to tell traditional Superman stories with mixed results. The “New 52” Superman was young and brash, a far cry from the seasoned, mild-mannered character of the previous continuity. When writer Scott Lobdell replaced Jurgens on Superman, things got…weird. 

In short, neither main Superman comic book at the time actually featured a traditional depiction of Superman. Smallville: Season 11, however, managed to lean on the continuity of the television series while crafting traditional Superman tales. Each story seemed to move the Smallville continuity closer to something Superman’s comic book fans would find familiar. 

Superman meets Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern for the first time. He travels to the future and encounters the Legion of Superheroes. He tussles with Lex Luthor and deals with a crisis on a parallel Earth. These stories feel both familiar and, thanks to the Smallville flavour, fresh.

Smallville: Season 11: The Bottom Line
At the time DC published Smallville: Season 11, it may have been the best monthly Superman comic book on the market. Today, the book continues to hold up well as a series of alternate reality Superman stories that are a lot of fun.

4. Power Girl 

Who is Power Girl?
Like so many DC characters, Power Girl is…complicated. Through several reboots, DC editorial has continuously recontextualised the character. The most popular version, however, is simply an older, grown-up version of Supergirl from a parallel Earth.

Continuity baggage, however, is not Power Girl’s sole sticking point. Her costume, while iconic in its own right, has also been a source of debate among fans and creators. It features a “cleavage window”, an actual hole in her clothes that reveals part of her breasts. She has become, in some ways, one of the most sexualised characters in DC comics.

What makes Power Girl so much fun?
So, how does a character like Power Girl end up on a list of comic books that are, above all else, fun? Chalk it up to the creative team of Jimmy Plamiotti, Justin Gray, and Amanda Conner. The trio had a memorable 12-issue run on Power Girl’s solo series that kicked off in May of 2009. 

The best way to describe the series is lighthearted and fun. The super heroics and the action set pieces are big and bombastic, but the book never takes itself too seriously. Palmiotti and Gray find the humour in moments both big and small and imbue their stories with witty, playful dialogue.

Amanda Conner’s art is a revelation here. The characters are expressive and full of personality. She manages to perfectly capture the spirit of the dialogue and situations. Power Girl is a stunningly gorgeous comic book.

Power Girl – The bottom line
After the first 12 issues, the entire creative team departed and author Judd Winick took over writing duties. The tone of the book shifted dramatically, and, although Winick is a capable writer in his own right, Power Girl never managed to recapture the pure joy of those first 12 issues.

3. Blue Beetle 

Who is the Blue Beetle?
There have been three distinct Blue Beetles over the decades. Dan Garrett was the first Blue Beetle and drew his power from a mystical scarab. Ted Kord, who had no superpowers, became the second Blue Beetle. His time as a member of the Justice League alongside best friend Booster Gold ushered in a golden age for humorous super heroics in the 1980s.

Then, Ted Kord died in the lead-up to DC’s 2005 crossover Infinite Crisis and a new Blue Beetle made his debut. Teenager Jaime Reyes may be, arguably, the best Blue Beetle to date. Dan Garrett’s mystical scarab, which turns out to actually be an alien weapon, fuses to Jaime’s spine. The artificial intelligence of the Scarab envelops Jaime in armour and provides him with weapons and the ability to fly.

What makes Blue Beetle so much fun?
Blue Beetle, which began publication in 2006, was simply ahead of its time. It managed to combine the teenage super heroics of Ultimate Spider-Man with the cultural touchstones of something like Ms. Marvel, which didn’t come along until 2014.

Jaime, as a Latino teenager living in El Paso, Texas, reflects the culture of his community. This adds a distinct flavour to his adventures. His voice, his family life, even his friendships are distinct. Much like Ms. Marvel’s storytelling benefits from Kamala Khan’s cultural background, so does Blue Beetle. The book has a clear, culturally relevant voice.

Blue Beetle is also successful in bringing teenage super heroics to life. As a rookie superhero, Jaime struggles to figure out his powers and find his way. Much like Peter Parker in Ultimate Spider-Man, he brings a lot of humour to the role of superhero. 

Cully Hamner and Rafael Albuquerque crafted a unique visual style for Blue Beetle. Both artists perfectly capture the environments of Texas. Backgrounds are clean and detailed, but never cluttered. The characters are distinct and expressive. Since the book deals with teenagers, they each made sure the characters were emotionally expressive.

Blue Beetle – The bottom line

John Rogers and Keith Giffen created a banger of a book with Blue Beetle. Giffen left the book after a few issues, but Rogers continued to craft a 25-issue run that builds to an incredible climax. Although the book continued for several issues after Rogers departure, it never quite recaptured the spirit of those first 25 issues.

Jaime has become a bit of a breakout character, showing up on Smallville and in various animated series. He has a solid fan base. Yet, despite relaunches and attempts at new solo series, nothing quite compares to the first 25 issues of his debut comic book.

2. Starfire 

Who is Starfire?
Starfire is easily one of the most recognisable DC characters. She had a memorable role in the legendary New Teen Titans comics of the 80s. Starfire also played a major part in the 2003 Cartoon Network Teen Titans series. Currently, she is a member of the Teen Titans team in the live-action HBO Max series.

Yet, despite her apparent popularity, there hasn’t been much of an effort to catapult the alien Princess Koriand’r into solo stardom. Enter Jimmy Plamiotti and Amanda Conner, who penned 12 issues of Starfire. Much like their work on PowerGirl, Stafire is bright, colorful, and above all else, filled with humor and fun.

What makes Starfire so much fun?
The orange-skinned alien princess decides it is time for her to build a normal life for herself. Kori settles on moving to Florida, where she battles a hurricane, makes new friends, and struggles with Earth customs and everyday life.

The series leans heavily into the “fish-out-of-water” scenario of an alien trying to build a “normal” life for herself on Earth. There are lots of misunderstandings and tongue-in-cheek humour. Palmiotti and Conner also bring their trademark wit to the dialogue. The book oozes fun.

Although Conner herself doesn’t take on art duties, Elsa Charretier and Emanuela Lupacchino bring a similar, lighthearted brightness to the book. Each artist has a distinct style and does a fantastic job creating a truly beautiful comic book. It’s almost impossible not to smile when reading Starfire.

Starfire – The bottom line
How this series never found an audience large enough to keep it in publication will forever be a mystery.

1. Batgirl

Who is Batgirl?
Stephanie Brown is Batgirl. She should still be Batgirl in current DC continuity. 

DC originally introduced Stephanie as “The Spoiler”, a supporting character in Robin. There, she served as a thorn in Tim Drake’s side, as well as his love interest. She was the daughter of a villain, Cluemaster, but decided to be a hero. Stephanie was a deeply flawed character who made a lot of mistakes and “got in the way” as much as she assisted Robin.

She had a chance to briefly serve as Robin herself. Then, in an attempt to prove herself to Batman, she incited a gang war that left her “dead”. Of course, no comic book character ever stays dead. She returned and revealed she had only faked her death. The character seemed aimless, unfocused, without a clear direction or future after her return.

Then, writer Bryan Q. Miller got a hold of Stephanie. Her luck was about to change.

What makes Batgirl so much fun?
Batgirl may be the most underappreciated series on this list. It had its fans, no doubt about it. When DC revealed Stephanie Brown as the new Batgirl, however, fans of previous Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Barbara Gordon were unhappy with the choice. Many never gave the book a chance. What they missed out on is a contender for the title of best Batgirl book to ever hit the stands.

Stephanie decides to take up the mantle when Cassandra Cain, the previous Batgirl, discards her suit and abdicates the role. Once again, Stephanie plays the spoiler, fighting crime as Batgirl when those around her wished she wouldn’t. Eventually, Barbara Gordon, the original Batgirl, decides to mentor Stephanie. What follows are 24 issues of pitch-perfect super heroics.

Hope, humour, and relationships
Stephanie Brown’s Batgirl became the infusion of hope, of fun, of humour that the dark and grim Batman line so desperately needed at the time. Stephanie gets knocked down time and time again, but she keeps getting back up. She makes mistakes, but she learns from them. She is fallible and human, but driven to help those around her.

Most importantly, she has fun as a superhero. Even through all of her trials and tribulations, she truly enjoys her role as Batgirl.

Her relationship with Bruce Wayne’s son Damien is one of the highlights of the book. Stephanie became, in essence, a big sister to Damien. Their banter, snarky and hilarious, made every team-up a delight. Miller managed to make Damien likeable at a stage in his development when he was still difficult to like.

Most of the art during Miller’s 24 issue run came from the minds of Lee Garbett & Dustin Nguyen. They managed to create a Gotham City that is both familiar and unique. This is Gotham City, but not the gothic, gargoyle-infused and rain-soaked metropolis. There’s room for light, for brightness to shine through the darkness.

Batgirl – The bottom line

Batgirl was another victim of the “New 52” reboot at DC. After the reboot, Barbara Gordon returned to the role of Batgirl herself. DC wiped Stephanie Brown’s tenure as Batgirl from continuity. She ultimately regressed, her character growth wiped out, and once again took on the identity of Spoiler. It still seems like the wrong choice.

Anybody looking for a fun Bat-family book should start with Batgirl. It’s simply the best.

What DC comics do you think are underappreciated? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Five Underappreciated DC Comics All About Superhero Fun and Hope appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In Above The Grave, Rick Mastertine is having a bad first day on the job. He’s getting grief from his “customers”, staff and boss. His place of employment? He’s the new chief warden of Mako, the world’s super villain prison, located deep in the Namibian desert and converted from an old diamond mine. Can Rick uncover the true secret of Mako, while preventing an ingenious jailbreak by the likes of the shape-shifting Mister Twister, luck manipulating Russian Roulette, sentient tree Davine and brilliant crocodile-man hybrid Crocitis?

When did you both decide to co-write your comic book “Above the Grave” and how did you come to this decision?

Mitchell: I mentioned it to Andrew and at that stage had it as an issued comic mini-series. Andrew liked the idea of the story and expanded out the story and wrote it out in a Screenplay format.

Andrew: This would have started about ten years ago. Mitchell has oodles of story ideas but there was something about this concept that really grabbed me, plus I thought the characters were fun and distinctive. It goes deeper than that though, as Mitchell established some themes that resonated with me. For example, at the time I was a supervisor and on one level Rick, as the warden, is a middle manager so I could identify with his issues working at Mako! The tone was also right up my alley, it’s really a big, brash action-comedy. I stayed true to those aspects while expanding the story with among other things Rick’s redemption arc and I introduced a few more characters to drive the expanded plot.

It looks like a lot of work went into “Above the Grave” was this a long journey just to put content together for publication?

M: Oh it was a LONG Journey. From concept to writing and Andrew learning on the job and drawing it at the same time took many years.

A: To be honest, at first I was too scared to want to draw it myself. I had always liked drawing but to bring this story to fruition, I was only too aware it meant I would have to draw many things I had never drawn before and the volume of drawings needed was going to be huge, something in the order of 500 panels. But thanks to Mitchell’s encouragement (and prodding), I took the plunge. It was really intimidating sitting with that first blank page in front of me on the drawing table knowing I had 136 pages to do. In fact, I might have even said to myself I’ll just do the first 20 then we’ll get someone else to do the rest. But you know what they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

After I finished drawing there was still the lettering to do! Not a glamorous part of creating comics, I can tell you.

Now that’s it’s done, we couldn’t be prouder.

What was the inspiration for the characters you use and the storyline in “Above the Grave”?

M: Inspiration came from seeing a prison line up of Villains in a Spiderman cartoon and hearing a radio news broadcast many years ago about the South African Government considering building an underground prison.

A: Prison escape is a whole sub-genre. Usually because the stories are about escape, which is a very powerful and universal metaphor, the prisoners are made the good guys who’ve been framed for a crime they didn’t commit, or the society is corrupt, or maybe they’re prisoners of war. That means the antagonists are the wardens and they’re usually sadistic to make you hate them and root even more for the escapees. The thing that really struck me with Mitchell’s proposal was that it broke this rule. The prisoners genuinely are super evil and the wardens are defending the world from them. So that makes this story unique already, but on top of that I had a flash of inspiration to flip the usual script and come up with a liberation of sorts for our hero Rick Mastertine, who’s the new warden. That’s all I can say without spoilers.

What else do you have in the pipeline that us comic geeks can keep an eye out for? Is this a series by any chance?

M: While we have ideas for upcoming projects the focus right now is just letting people know about Above The Grave from conventions to getting the book into stores.

A: I’d like to do an illustrated children’s book.

Some illustrators really don’t enjoy drawing – especially as scenes can get repetitive, did you really enjoy writing/illustrating this comic book?

A: This is what I would say to people who are thinking of drawing a comic: If you do 100-odd pages you will find out just how much you really like drawing! Seriously, drawing a comic is nothing like drawing a pin-up or even other kinds of picture books. It’s fun but it is certainly repetitive and there are times when it feels like a horrible grind. The only thing that keeps you going is that promise of the finished product and getting your story out there. The other process I adhered to that made it easier for me to reach the finish line is that I made sure to keep up momentum and do all the pages, even if the art was terrible to begin with. Then I went back and improved them A LOT. Working that way, I knew I could have quit at any time and still had at least something in hand. As it turned out, I never quit because I saw constant improvement in myself that drove me to cut no corners and do every page to a high standard. I see no reason to be modest about this lol.

For those who are thinking to branch out into publishing comic books, what would your best piece of advice be?

M: It’s a hard journey, break things into small areas that you have to complete. I know for myself that it would of been such a harder journey if it didn’t find such a great collaborative partner. If i don’t cross paths with Andrew. Above the Grave doesn’t happen. PERIOD.

A: I would definitely advise any aspiring creators not to do 136 pages! The most important thing is to FINISH. If you just finish you will be ahead of 99.9% of other people. We all know about the proverbial screenplay sitting in a drawer. So choose a manageable story!

M: Paul Hogan, John Cornell, Matthew Reilly and Kevin Smith.

A: Jim Lee for drawing. His longevity in the comics industry is astounding as well. Dave Gibbons on Watchmen and Steve McNiven on Old Man Logan really inspired me with their innovative cinematic layouts.

What are your favourite comic books? (graphic novels or manga included in this question)

M: Watchmen, Superman: Red Son, Guardian Devil (Daredevil)

A: For me it all began with Asterix and Tintin. (I actually homage the artist of Asterix, Albert Uderzo, with a character named after him in ATG.) Then in high school I loved the X-Men. Y: The Last Man opened my eyes to what’s possible in the medium as it’s not a humour or superhero story. I like Red Son as well.

Have you read Above The Grave? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

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Indie Comic Con is a comics festival celebrating independent Australian creators. In its second year, Indie Comic Con is a free community arts event that will be held at Northcote Town Hall on December 8th 2018, 11am – 6pm.

Indie Comic Con will feature workshops, panels, cosplay and art competitions, various prize draws and an amazing artist market showcasing comics, zines, graphic novels and prints across all genres.

The event grew out of frustration with large-scale comic conventions’ focus on pop culture autographs, fan art and merchandise. Festival Director, Nathan Onias saw this as an opportunity to cultivate a space for creators that focus on producing comics independently. Indie Comic Con will feature over 60 creators from around Australia, including notable artists Jess Kitty Parker, Darren Close and Mr Splitfoot. Our workshop day will be Sunday, December 9th 2018, 11:30am – 5:30pm at Jika Jika Community Centre, Northcote.

The event is designed for all ages and aims to be an inclusive safe space for the community and is proudly sponsored by Comic Books On Demand, The Comic Dr, The Comic Place, Media Arts Lawyers, Manga Arts, and the Jika Jika Community Centre.

For more information about the event, head to the Indie Comic Con website!

Will you be heading to Indie Comic Con? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Get Ready For Australia’s Indie Comic Con 2018! appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Writer, illustrator, graphic artist, designer, podcaster and all-round nerd Kieran Jack is BACK with a new direction, a new project, and more rewards just for you! His latest project is ‘In Purgatory’, a comic book which pokes fun at what happens when we die and stars the one and only Grim Reaper himself. Kieran will be using the Kickstarter platform to fund this project and it has some great incentives for you, if you are happy to support this project.

In the latest project, this twelve-part comic book series starring none other than Death himself as well as his band of minions will explore life, death, and religion shown through Kieran’s dark sense of humour. The first issue has the under-realm about to be thrown into chaos, as Death and his companions question their reality and what is the meaning of life and death. Will time run out before the can put a stop to the anarchy which is about to be unleashed upon their world? The first issues will also features a guest illustrator in the form of Matt Kyme known for the comic series, ‘That Bulletproof Kid’.

Kieran, who is the creator of the hilarious and successful comic series ‘The Talking Bread’, uses his amazing knack for illustration and his creative genius to bring this new series to life. The artwork as usual is phenomenal, colourful, and of a standard we’ve come to expect from this young man. As with most Kickstarter funded projects, contributors can pledge as little as $4.00 with each amount giving access to different rewards including sticker kits, enamel collector pins, issues of Kieran’s first comic series ‘The Talking Bread’, and much, much more.

Make sure to check out this amazing project on Kickstarter and get behind this wonderful creator!

If you want to find out more about Kieran Jack and his indie publishing company Halftone Productions, be sure to read our Q&A with him!

Will you be supporting Kieran’s latest comic? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Get Ready For The ‘In Purgatory’ Comic Series appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Kieran Jack runs a small indie publishing company called Halftone Productions and he’s responsible for the creation of the comic series The Talking Bread, which now has five issues with the final due out this year. When Kieran isn’t working on the series, commissions, or other design projects, you can find him at comic, gaming, and pop culture conventions around Australia with his latest pop-up being at Supanova Sydney.

In 2018 he’ll be launching some new projects backed by the crowdfunding platform ‘Kickstarter’ with which some of the previous issues of The Talking Bread owe their existence to. His firm believes in the longevity of the industry and his pure talent is sure to take this young artist a long way.

Our reporter Jayse sat down with Kieran and got the lowdown on his life and his passion for comics.

Hey Kieran! You went to Supanova in Sydney last month—how was it?

Hi Jayse, Yes, I did. I think incredible is the simplest way to sum it up, but it was by far the most successful convention to date.

What inspired you to go into the comic book industry?

I had always wanted to create them even as a child I’d make my own stories on paper, I think what finally pushed me to create comics was I saw a flourishing indie comic scene here in Australia and overseas and thought I’d throw my hat into the ring and see how I’d go.

What are the tools of your trade, if someone where looking at getting into the field what would they need?

Practice and Network. Whether you want to write, illustrate, colour, letter, or edit—keep practicing. I also found having a podcast based around indie comics helped networking and gaining contacts in the industry, which also helped nurture me into taking the leap into creating comics.

You have used a crowd funding platform to assist you with making your comics a reality—how has that gone for you and do you think this is great way to get people on board?

Hmm stressful, very stressful but rewarding. I think that no one can say that crowdfunding is easy, it’s time intensive and for months you’re preparing and promoting the Kickstarter. Then after the campaign has ended, you’re making sure the work is completed and sending out the rewards to all your backers. After 3 successful Kickstarters and soon to be 4, I find it’s a great tool to help with getting your work out and also doubles up as a pre-order system so you might reach a larger audience from around the world like The Talking Bread has.

Where did the idea for your series The Talking Bread come from?

Well before I became a graphic artist and comic creator I was a baker for nearly 10 years so I thought why not put some of my experience’s from my baking days into a story, strangely enough it came to me at the early hours of the morning while working on an art commission. I kinda like to see this as the last nail in my baking career.

I love that you use innuendo in some of your titles such as The Masterbaker. Is this something that highlights your sense of humour?

I think it’s solely based on my love of weird and wacky comic and also a lot of cartoons!!

What can we expect from future issues of The Talking Bread? Can you give us any juicy secrets?

Actually I’m currently inking the final issue of TTB at the moment, I’d also planned a 6-part story but funny thing is it’s been received so well many of the readers don’t want it to end. There are definitely going to be twists in the final issue, but I think the ending I’ve got planned may leave the readers hungry for more!!

You have MAD skills when it comes to drawing and illustrating, where did that come from?

I’ve always loved illustrating and as a kid I’d always have a pencil a paper close by to sketch a character on a comic or something I saw outside or on TV. As an adult I took a few online classes to help build my skills, but again, it just comes down to practice.

Who are you idols of the comic book world? Any inspirational figures?

Oh wow, where do I begin there’s so many, I think writers are easily Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, and more recently Gerard Way. As for illustrators, it’s got to be Jhonen Vasques, Sam Kieth, and Jamie Hewlett

A while back you had an issue over copyright where someone had potentially copied your ideas. With people being able to screenshot or capture images so easily these days and repost ‘as their own’, how important is it to you that the artist is credited for any work that they do?

Haha, yeah I think they’ll have a problem on their hands if the property they’re ripping from find out. It really wasn’t a huge issue, but after the event I sorted out a Trade Mark and have covered myself in an event like this ever happens again. Unfortunately we live in a world we’re people have easy access and can do these kinds of things. It’s strange though I never intended my comic title to be the same as what people seen it as, at least now I know I’m covered if it occurs again.

What, if any, are your favourite comic book titles?

I began reading comics like Batman, but recently with all the reboots in comics I’ve found it boring so I’ve dived back into a lot of weird comics I read as a teenager like Doom Patrol, The Mask, The Maxx, Johnny the Homicidal Manic, Tank Girl, and The Umbrella Academy.

I think titles like The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil: Born Again, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, The Killing Joke and even Sin City will always hold a place up there as that was where comics taught me that these can be powerful stories, commentaries on society and real life and maybe even where the sparked ignited to one day make my own.

You have attended numerous pop culture and comic conventions recently, how has the comic been received there?

Yeah it’s great. I get returning readers all the time both young and old. It varies from con to con in sales, but the audience is there and eating it up.

With print media increasingly coming under threat from other sources such television and streaming services, how do you plan to combat this and remain viable?

I love print and I think there will always be comics, they’ve also been saying comics are dead for 80 years. However, the indie scene is stronger than ever, but I do know it’s definitely harder for the big guys and comic stores these day to sell comics. Hopefully as more people become exposed to those types of mediums, they’ll start searching for where they came from, which very well may lead them to an indie comic.

If someone were looking to get into reading comics which titles, other than The Talking Bread, should they look at reading?

Wow I mean, I started out with Batman as a child, but now if I was to start all over again, the Australian scene has so many amazing creators out there who are thinking out side of the box and spandex, you need only attend a Australian comic convention to see the talent there. Plus you get to meet the people who made the comic and maybe they’ll even sign it for you!!

Which character has been the most complicated for you to create/draw?

The human anatomy I’ve always struggled with, but again practice makes perfect and I recently had to do a commission for a client of the Phantom. I think it took 3 takes before I was able to nail it.
Lots of scrunched up paper that day!

You’ve recently been doing commission work where people request a recreation of a character. What’s been the most popular? Have they been hard to replicate?

I think to date people respond to my Looney Tunes prints and want to see their favourite character, which has seemed to snag a few more commissions especially over the last weekend.

So where are you off to next? What’s the plan for the rest of 2018?

This year I’ve booked in 24 comic conventions/festivals and plan to wrap up The Talking Bread and more on to the next series In Purgatory. Next year I plan to do fewer cons and focus on the new comic series and other ventures!

If people want to find you on social media where do they go?

You’ll be able to find my hook on Instagram at @createdbykieran or on Facebook at Halftone Productions.

A massive thank you to Kieran for giving up the time to answer our questions! If you happen to see him out and about at any upcoming events, don’t be shy, head over and say hello! You can find him on his new website, Halftone Productions.

Also make sure to keep your eyes out for the upcoming Kickstarter for The Talking Bread issue 6 and take the time to check out the great content on his Instagram page.

Have you checked out any of Kieran’s work? Or will you be checking it out? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A With Kieran Jack, Illustrator and Graphic Artist appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta. In the name of all that is good, your wrath upon this world is over.

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine released the latest trailer for Wonder Woman at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday night. The new trailer release came after the release of a brand new poster with the promise of an “even bigger surprise”.

The new trailer features more about the female warrior, including Diana training with the Amazons when the young trainee unleashes the force of her mystical bracelets. Soon after, we see her head to the “hideous” London to help save the world.

The film stars Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen.

Wonder Woman hits cinemas in June.

What do you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!

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