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SDCC 2015 hasn’t been a slouch in the announcements department especially if you’re a fan of comics.  Friday morning, Aspen Comics held their Comic-Con caucus in room 9 kicking off with a big traditional “Aloha” and leading to a couple of big teases for fans.

Frank Mastromauro, Vince Hernandez, Mark Roslan, and Peter Steigerwald were joined by Josh Reed, Beth Sotelo, BigDog Ink’s Tom Hutchison, David Wohl, Paolo Pantalena, Siya Oum, V. Ken Marion, Heather Quinley, Alex Koant, and Hannibal Tabu. So many people that actually couldn’t fit on the stage.

Frank opened with the upcoming Eternal Soulfire showing off the Century Edition cover which was an SDCC exclusive. With Eternal Soulfire debuting this week more covers for issues three and four were shown off including a large piece separated into four different covers. The Vettix sketch cover initiative cover was talked about and their lineup for auction includes Art Adams with more names to follow soon. Vettix helps armed forces men and women attend hard to score events like comic-con.

The presentation transitioned into the recently launched Fathom Blue. One of the two Aspen team books set in the Fathom universe. Some scantily clad covers and regular covers for issue 2 through 5 were showing.

David Wohl talked about his new project called Santeria: City of Fear (working title). Wohl talked about wanting to do a paramedic story. It’s about a woman who saves someone’s live and in doing so is thrust into a world of Santeria. The pitch for the book sounds like an interesting take on what the cost of saving a life could be.

Oniba Swords of the Demon by Paolo Pantalena is a series featuring a female samurai. Her feudal Japan timeline story will see the heroine battle intricately designed monsters. There’s a sketchbook available at the Aspen booth featuring some intense line art.

The Big Dog Ink rundown started with an update on Critter. Some con exclusive covers were shown which should be available on the publisher’s online store. After Critter will be Legend of Oz Wicked West in October. Wrapping up the BDI stuff is a tease for new Shahrazad stuff next year.

Panel exclusive Critter #1

Jirni Volume two debuts in August. Some new covers for the series were shown and Marion’s art really bumps up his game here.

The all ages Psycho Bonkers showed off some covers including one by MLP artist Agnes Garabowska.

LOLA XoXo Wasteland Madam had some new cover art to show off by the impressive Siya Oum. She’ll return to writing the LOLA series with Vol 2 whileWasteland Madam continues to be written by Vince Hernandez.

Steigerwald talked about the delay with Zoohunters. His current DC Commitments were taking more time than they should have but he’ll be returning to the book very soon.

Upcoming trades by the publisher include Fathom Vol 2, Fathom Killian’s tale, Legend of the Shadow Clan, and Jirni Vol 1.

Following the recent movement of Aspen Novels is Aspen Novellas. The first one in the line will feature the world of Executive Assistant Iris. They’ll be shorter than the novels but an expansion into the comics’ worlds that takes prose form.

Dellec and Shrugged will have new Volumes at some point. The stories for each are in the works but current titles are the focus. Mastromauro explained the publisher can only handle a certain number of books a month.

The Scourge,  Scott Lobdell’s previous Aspen series is in talks to be a feature film and has a screenwriter.

A gorgeous Michael Turner gallery edition collecting the legendary artist’s Batman/Superman run through the lens of the original pages is currently available at the show and at Graphitti Designs. The oversized book is a must for fans of Turner and orginal art which also contains tons of cover work and designs for his various DC Comics contributions. Fans can flip through one at the Graphitti booth, but be prepared for the best impulse buy ever.

The panel announced this year’s Halloween Fest book will be a Psycho Bonkers coloring and activity book for kids.

The publisher also announced a catch up with day-and-date digital as well as the back catalog continuing to update with Comixology.

For years Aspen has always had their IP on the cusp of breaking into other mediums, while there has been movement on a few things; according to Mastromauro the thing closest to being a reality is Executive Assistant: Iris. In the group’s opinion it’s the property that would be cost effective for a studio to tackle. Even teasing that it could be a SDCC 2016 announcement.

With that the panel closed with another rousing “Aloha!”

By Davey Nieves

As Aspen Comics announced towards the end of last year the Fathom universe’s anti-hero Kiani would get a new volume in her saga. Written by Vince Hernandez, with Giuseppe Cafaro on art, this February will see Fathom: Kiani Vol.4 #1 hit stores.

Following the catastrophic destruction of the Volna, the Russian Government’s secret Blue research facility, the United States has decided to take action against the rising threat of the Blue. However, in Africa, Kiani and Anika discover that their family bond is stronger than any one army—as their fight to survive above the surface will lead to a revolution amongst the people that will change the landscape of the human race forever!

Fathom: Kiani #1 will be out February 11th, 2015. Check out the preview below including a painfully cute cover by MLP artist Agnes Garabowska.

By David Nieves

2014 has been quite a year for Aspen Comics, following their 10th anniversary in ’13, the house that Michael Turner built made waves striking a deal with digital platform Madefire and recently acquiring publishing rights for some of Big Dog Ink’s titles. Now they’re wrapping up the convention year Sunday afternoon with a panel at Comikaze. We’re sure to hear more details on the Big Dog Ink partnership plans, and how the company will evolve some of their staple characters for today’s modern readership. Aspen sent over a preview of a few titles they’ll be talking about and showing tomorrow, one of the things we’ll hear about also includes a new project by Scott Lobdell.

We’ll be covering the panel tomorrow, but you can see a preview of it below.

Today, February 7th, is Charles Dickens Day! Did you know that?
Don’t look so forlorn, dear Charles. You are a very special kind of hero to us.

And speaking of heroes, Barrie Summy, author of the fabulous I So Don’t Do Mysteries, has this to say about her hero: Charles Gordon Maynard.

Barrie?

Around 1909, Charles invented wine gum in his father’s candy store in Libya. There is some debate as to whether or not wine gums have ever contained real wine. Personally, I have never eaten a wine gum made with alcohol. About those first candies, who’s to say? Charles’ father was a staunch tee-totaling Methodist, and Charles may have been a bit of a bad boy.

Wine gums come in rolls of round candies or in bags of various geometric shapes and crowns. There are six colors: red, yellow, orange, green, white and black. Wine gums are a hardier chew than their cousin, the gummy bear, and fruitier in taste than their sibling, the jujube.

Wine gums are the perfect pick-me-up when your characters (or your children, for that matter) aren’t behaving themselves. Likewise, they are a delicious reward for each chapter (or page or sentence or, even, word!) written.

I have never seen a photo of Charles, but I suspect he’s a cross between Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon and Orlando Bloom. He may or may not be a descendent of William the Conqueror.

According to Wikipedia, Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and many other great books) loved wine gums and ate one every night before going to bed.

So, thank you, Charles Gordon Maynard, for sweetening up my life. (OK, I do have real everyday heroes, but it’s been a giddy week...)

Barrie, we happen to know that your book is every bit as sweet as wine gum and twice as fun.