SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: HOWIE NOELDECHEN

Next up in the SENTINELS Anthology spotlight is Howie Noeldechen! I’d had already written about Howie back when we had a different release date for the book. But I wanted to repost it now along with everyone else’s. It’s so typical of Howie to demand two spotlights!! Lol

I’ve known the ghost-loving, wrestle-maniac, Howie Noeldechen and his wife Shelly for a long time now. We met at MOCCA in NYC almost eleven years ago and I was impressed with his work immediately. After chatting for a bit at the show, I got all the issues of Howie’s first comic, Mr. Scootles and I fell in love with it! It was unlike anything I had read before. I loved the animated feel of the book and the fact that it played up on animation history, while adding a dark and humorous aspect to the story. I was honored when Howie asked me to write the foreword to the collected edition when it came out.

Howie went on to create Tara Normal! Tara is a paranormal investigator who faces off against demons, ghouls, werewolves, aliens and rogue government agents. The series has built a huge fanbase and Howie is the official cartoonist of TAPS Paramagazine, where Tara Normal has appeared in the publication since 2010 as well as online since 2009 at www.taranormal.com And Howie's caricatures and portraits of the TAPS team and stars of Ghost Hunters have helped raise thousands of dollars for charities benefiting the paranormal community.

So, when it came time to work on the second SENTINELS Anthology, I knew I wanted someone with a sense of humor and edge to tell Crusher’s story. And knowing that Howie loved professional wrestling, he was the only person I thought of. I couldn’t imagine anyone more suited to write Crusher’s story than Howie and can’t wait for people to read the story he wrote (and drawn by the talented, Bernce Acosta Llamo!). It will make you laugh and squirm! But then, coming from Howie, that’s exactly what I expected!

Please check out Howie’s comics, portraits and all of the amazing caricatures he’s done on his website at www.hcnoel.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: ALEX SINE

One of the interesting things about the second SENTINELS Anthology is that it spans generations not only with story and characters, but also with creators! Alex Sine was in grade school when SENTINELS began and now she's starting her first year of college! Yes, that makes me feel super old, lol, but I'm extremely proud to have her contribute Cascade's story within the SENTINELS Anthology. Watching Alex's love of art develop throughout the years has a pleasure. From her fist cartoon sketch to fully rendered animation, it's been amazing to see her grow.

Alex brings a youthful perspective to her story and her art is graphically striking. She is also able to give her characters very expressive faces that allow you to connect with them. I think readers will find her story on Cascade very fitting and special.

And even though she's related to me, I can honestly say I see success in her future! Please check out more of Alex's art at www.mscheesesauce.deviantart.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: ANDREW CHARIPAR

I met Andrew Charipar at one of the first New York Comic Cons when he visited my table and gave me a copy of the first Tales From The Cornerstone trade! I was instantly impressed with his work and loved the book. Andrew is a drawing machine with a wicked sense of humor (though I'm sure his children, Ayla and Michael, will disagree because I doubt they find him as funny. But Andrew is one of my favorite Indie creators and we quickly became friends. I was such a fan of his work that I asked him to draw one of the stories in the first SENTINELS Anthology before I even had something for him to draw!

Flash-forward years later and once again Andrew is contributing to the SENTINELS world with Psyched's one page story that he wrote and drew. The great thing about having so many incredible creators work on a project, is how diverse the work is. Psyched's spotlight is unique and lighthearted, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

There's also a little added bonus in Andrew's story as it feature the first published appearance of a certain "Hero" that Andrew created along with children (the burden and son mentioned above!) who will be the star of his next book! I had the pleasure of reading the first two chapters and it's an exciting all-ages story.

Please check out more of Andrew's work at www.misfitcorner.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: SASHA GLADYSH

As with Jeff Streeter's spotlight, I had already posted a spotlight on Sasha last year, but I wanted to repost this before the Anthology debuts at NYCC next month!
Sasha Gladysh is from Izhevsk, Udmurtia (Russian Federation) where she used to be a designer and newspaper illustrator. Over the last few years though, Sasha has been doing mostly freelance work on independent comics and webcomics, doing illustrations for books and video games and also working in animation. Obviously, I’ve been a fan of her work on deviantArt for a long time now. What first caught my eye about Sasha’s work was the way she draws faces. They’re very expressive and emotional. She has the ability to capture a mood perfectly with her clean and precise lines. Add to that the way Sasha colors and I believe it’s a very powerful combo!
Teaming up the right artist with the right story is often difficult. But it’s also something I put a lot of thought into. So, when I received Jeff Streeter’s story for Agent Huggins, I knew Sasha was the perfect artist to bring his words to life. Agent Huggins is an important character to me (she was based on a real person who had passed) and Sasha did not disappoint in her strong, determined and vulnerable rendition of the character.
Last I spoke with Sasha, she was working on her own animated film! And what I saw looked AMAZING!!!! Seriously, she’s drawing a movie!! I wish I had that kind of dedication and ambition. It blows me away to think of all the work she is doing for it and it looks amazing! But please don’t take my word for it, check out her blog ( http://autumn-sacura.tumblr.com/tagged/nylash-no-vumurt ) to see character designs (which are so detailed and unique!) and short animated clips. I can’t wait to see the film complete!
Please check out more of Sasha’s work on her deviantArt page at http://autumn-sacura.deviantart.com/

DRUMFISH ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: JEFFREY S. STREETER

I had already posted a spotlight on my buddy, Jeff Streeter, last year when the SENTINELS Anthology #2 was first scheduled to come out. But, I wanted to take this time to spotlight everyone before the book comes out next month and Jeff is next up in order of appearance in the book, so he gets a repeat posting!!
I first met Jeffrey S. Streeter at a comic convention and was immediately impressed by his preparation for getting sketches. I’d never seen someone so organized about getting commissions before. Jeff even has a reference book for artists to use that is complete with multiple alphabetized variant costumes of each character. As probably the biggest Titans fan I’ve ever met, Jeff’s collection of original art is beyond compare. Seriously, I don’t know how he does it, but he gets the most amazing sketches from artists and he gets them with ease. Maybe it’s because Jeff is such a naturally likable guy that even someone like me can’t help but become friends with him. In fact, when I first met Jeff, I walked away thinking I’ve known him for years.
I quickly realized that’s all part of Jeff’s evil plan. How else can you believe that the die-hard Titans fan is also a prominent forensic investigator? Or that he and his partner have their own company focused on developing creator-owned content for print, stage and screen? And that the company is (not surprisingly) called Evil Mastermind, LLC! It all makes sense.
It also made me believe that Jeff is a creative guy and with his background and credentials, he’d be the perfect mastermind to write the Agent Huggins story in the second SENTINELS Anthology. As I mentioned in the past in different interviews and postings, Agent Huggins is an important character. She's based on someone I lost many years ago and I wanted to make sure she was handled by creators who would get her right. I was very happy when Jeff agreed to write the story and even happier once I read the script he turned in! In just 10 pages, Jeff was able not only captured Agent Huggins’ character, but he was able to recapped her entire history, give her depth by revealing her relationship with other characters (good and bad) and tell an exciting and interesting story that moves the character forward. Seriously, I couldn’t ask for a better story for Agent Huggins!
I’m extremely proud of the story Jeff and artist Sasha Gladysh have created for such an important character in the SENTINELS universe! And I can’t thank them enough for being involved in the book.
And one last note, CONGRATULATIONS to Jeff on his engagement!
Please follow Jeff on twitter at https://twitter.com/EMLLC00
And check out some of the amazing sketches Jeff has gotten in his collection over the years at http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerydetail.asp?gcat=40361

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: MAJA CRONVALL

I first noticed Maja Cronvall’s work on DeviantArt and was immediately impressed by her art style. I honestly think she has a fresh and unique take on characters and adds a distinctive feel to her work. I can’t really describe the way her work makes me feel because sometimes I’d consider it heavily based in the Horror genre world and at other times, I can see a complexity of softness in her work. It all makes for a great dynamic. It’s also what made me want to have her involved in the second SENTINELS Anthology!
Maja drew Wickkid’s story in the Anthology and I believe she said it was her first sequential work! You’d never know it though, because Maja’s portrayal of Wickkid is dead-on and adds a sort of moody feel to him. Which is PERFECT for the character! I also have to say she has great color sense and used just the right color palette for this story.
A native of Sweden, Maja is also an amazing cosplayer! Seriously, you have to see the work she puts into her different cosplays and how she transforms into an almost unrecognizable person. It’s crazy!! But totally in a good way, lol.
Maja has also created many indie characters of her own that you can see on her DeviantArt page. I really hope she publishes a comic of her own about these characters soon, because they are very, very cool! Check them out for yourself at www.bleedingheartworks.deviantart.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: KEEFER JUDE KOPCO

I can still remember meeting Keefer Kopco for the first time at Pittsburgh Comicon many years ago. Back then he was a little kid who seemed smarter than he should be and who had a cool Aunt who took him to comic conventions. That first meeting, Keefer wanted to buy the first SENTINELS graphic novel from me, but I wasn’t sure he was old enough to read it. I was hesitant to sell it to him. But, eventually, after some reassurance from his costumed Aunt, I did end up selling Keefer the book. The rest has been a nightmare, I mean…uh, a great experience. Seriously though, it was a pleasure going back to the Pittsburgh Comicon each year and getting schooled on comics (and even on my own series) by a teenager! Keefer knew his comics and became a big fan of SENTINELS. Over the years, I was proud to see him grow into a great guy, graduate college and become a friend. For a while, Keefer was even helping us with all our Drumfish Productions social media stuff and gave me a quick education on it!

So, when it came time to gather creators for the second SENTINELS Anthology, I knew I wanted Keefer to contribute. Over the years, I got to read some of Keefer’s writing and I was impressed with his talent. I originally planned for him to write a story focusing on the first generation SENTINELS. And he wrote an amazing story for them! But as the book grew and changed, we ended up having to switch things around and I didn’t use Keefer’s first generation story. Keefer was very understanding with the change though and agreed to write Wickkid’s story instead. And Keefer didn’t disappoint with his interpretation of Wickkid! In just a few panels, Keefer expresses Wickkid’s feelings of darkness and sets a unique mood. The language of his story is true to the character and I feel it connects you his plight. Complimented greatly with art by Maya Cronvall, Wickkid’s story will leave you wanting to read more. Huge thanks to Keefer for all his help!! Keefer can be seen cosplaying and performing from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, at most Pennsylvania Comic Conventions!

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: PENELOPE RIVERA GAYLORD

What can I say about Penelope that hasn’t been said before? Not much, because she’s amazing, super nice, talented and kickass; and everyone already says that about her. I’ve known “Peng-Peng” for a long time and I honestly can’t even remember when I first met her and the rest of the ID Comics artists. And that’s because, once you meet them, they make you feel like you’ve know them for years. Yup, they’re all that cool. So, when it came time to get artists for the second SENTINELS Anthology, I knew I wanted to have as many of the ID Comics creators involved as possible. With a soft and cute style, Penelope was the perfect artist to draw Heartache’s story (written by Marcus Mebes and colors by Gabriel Cassatta). In just a few panels, she expressed Heartache personality perfectly. And wait until you see how much detail she got into her panels!
Penelope is currently working with Acme Archives to produce limited edition illustrations. She's done exclusive cover art for "Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake" (Boom Studios), "My Little Pony" (IDW), and "Soulfire" (Aspen Comics). She's the inker on "Fanboys Vs. Zombies" (Boom Studios) and the mini-series "Loki:Ragnarok and Roll" (Boom Studios). She has also worked on the LEGO adaptation of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (IDW) as a letterer. She has done several sketchcard sets for Cryptozoic, Upper Deck, and 5Finity Productions. She is a member of Girls Drawin Girls - a group of professional female visual artists from around the world.
-Whew!
See what I mean? Who runs the world? Peng_Peng
Follow her on Twitter - @peng_peng - and on her website at www.PengPengArt.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: MARCUS MEBES

The next creator involved in the second SENTINELS Anthology is someone who can be blamed, I mean, is responsible for introducing me to Luciano Vecchio! That’s right, without Marcus Mebes, the creative team for SENTINELS would never would have met.  So, depending on your opinion, lol, you can either thank him or send hate mail. But in all seriousness, I owe a great deal of gratitude to Marcus for introducing me to one of my best friends and collaborators, Luciano.

So, when it came time to gather people together for the Anthology, I knew I wanted to involve Marcus. And it wasn’t just because he introduced Luciano and I; it was because Marcus is also a talented and experienced writer (who draws too!). I was impressed with the volume of material Marcus has written, from many different Oz related stories and prose to his own book, Rats. He publishes long-lost books and new stories under his Pumpernickel Pickle imprint at www.lulu.com/spotlight/baringer

Marcus happily agreed to write Heartache’s story for the Anthology and even though it’s a short story, he definitely put a lot of thought into it and wrote much more than I was able to fit it. Marcus understands characters and is able to add just the right touch to make you connect with them quickly. And when you see the art by Penny Gaylord and Gabriel Cassatta, for his story, you’ll see how great a team they make! And when Marcus isn’t writing, you can find him at the gym at insane hours of the night or morning pumping iron! Thanks for being involved in the Anthology, Marcus!  

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT: STEPHANE DE CANEVA

I thought the best way to start the spotlights on the creators involved in the second SENTINELS Anthology was by order of appearance within the book. The first story is drawn by very talented, Stephane De Caneva and even though I spotlighted him last year, I'm going to do so again and re-introduce you all to Stephane!

An artist from Marseille, France, I first saw Stephane's work on DeviantArt. I was immediately impressed with his amazing linework and we were honored when he entered our second Drumfish Art Contest on DeviantArt, not once, but three times!! And his entry of Samanya from NEVERMINDS was the first place winner of that contest! 

I knew that I had to work with Stephane and get him involved with the Anthology somehow. Luckily, Jamie Fay had just turned in the story he wrote for the book that focused on Gospel and we both thought of Stephane. If there was any SENTINEL that Stephane would have been best suited for, it was Gospel. Once you see the pages, you’ll know what I mean, but his linework is soft and detailed and creates a very angelic environment. Stephane draws characters that have a feeling of movement within the panels of the page. It’s really a unique style that is complimented by Danielle Alexis St. Pierre’s colors and perfect for the story Jamie wrote.

As if all those great artistic qualities weren’t enough, Stephane is the ultimate professional, delivering work on time, the right size/format and without any alterations needed. I don’t know why Marvel and/or DC haven’t snatched him up, but I believe they will soon! For the moment though, in addition to the 10-page Gospel story in the SENTINELS Anthology, you can see Stephane’s work in the comic Metropolis published (in French) by Delcourt. Do yourself a favor and check out more of Stephane’s work on his website at http://abc142.free.fr or on his DeviantArt page at www.abc142.deviantart.com

INTERVIEW WITH "IT CAME FROM THE RADIO"

My interview on "It Came From the Radio" is online and available to listen to on the link below. I had a great time on the show! We talked about Drumfish Productions, comics today, comic book movies and the changing scene at comic conventions. Thanks to all the hosts who spoke with me and especially Mark Torres for setting it up and inviting me as a guest!
-Rich
http://www.iheart.com/show/53-It-Came-From-The-Radio/?episode_id=27333335d

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 AT THE PRINTERS!

A year ago I began doing creator spotlights on all the talented people involved with the second SENTINELS Anthology. At the time, we were on track to have the book completed for the 10th year anniversary of the SENTINELS first release. Unfortunately, we had some problems and the book took a major delay. Here we are a year later and the book is honestly at the printers!! We expect to have the book in time for NYCC next month and I thought it was a good time to start doing the creator spotlights again. I did four before I stopped, but I’ll repost those in all fairness, so that they are included in round too. So, starting tomorrow, we’ll be introducing some of the amazing folk we got to work with on this book. I can’t wait for you too see how awesome the second SENTINELS Anthology looks!

SENTINELS #7 ON COMIXOLOGY!

I'm proud to announce that the re-visioned and colorized version of SENTINELS issue #7 is available for digital download at Comixology! Full of action and amazing new colors by Ihor Loboda, issue #7 of the series builds to next issue's' dramatic finale to the first SENTINELS story arc. Written by Rich Bernatovech, art by Luciano Vecchio and colors by ihor Loboda, check it out now at http://bit.ly/1DtcQOt .

HARLETTE FIGURINE FINAL VERSION!

Here is the final version of our newest figurine, Harlette from SENTINELS!

Designed by SENTINELS artist, Luciano Vecchio, and created by www.ilovefigure.com , Harlette fits right in with our previous figurines and stands 6" tall and comes with a custom base. This is our first figurine working with ilovefigure.com and we couldn't be happier with the results! As you can see, the face has been adjusted slightly in this final version of the figurine and we think it captures the SENTINELS toughest lady perfectly! Harlette is available for pre-order now and will ship in about two months. To order, contact us via email, Facebook or private note here. Or order directly through our store at http://www.freewebstore.org/DrumfishProductions/HARLETTE_FIGURINE/p1777237_14424542.aspx 

Harlette (c) Drumfish Productions

HARLETTE FIGURINE IN THE WORKS!

Though we hadn't plan on doing more Drumfish Productions figurines anytime soon, we were recently approached by a new company called www.ilovefigure.com and they made us a great offer to work with them. They are even match the size and packaging on our previous figurines. 

Since we started, one of the characters people have been asking for the most has been Harlette! We agree and think she'll make a terrific addition to our line. Here are the original designs by SENTINELS co-creator and artist, Luciano Vecchio as well as the first sculpt pictures! We love them and hope everyone else does too!

HARLETTE BY JOE DESANTOS

We love surprises and this one made our day! The talented Joe Desantos posted this kickass fanart of Harlette from SENTINELS! How amazing is that? We totally wow-ed by it. Joe has done art for us before in one of our deviantart contests and as back cover artist for an issue of the re-visioned and colorized SENTINELS. Thank so much, Joe!

Check out more of Joe's work at www.joeydes.deviantart.com 

NYCC SPECIAL EDITION - ARTIST ALLEY - D14/15

This weekend (June 6-7), I'll be at NYCC Special Edition along with NEVERMINDS artist, Jamie Fay. We'll be in Artist Alley right in the middle of the convention at tables D14 and D15. Stop by and check out all the new work we have! We'll be selling comics, figurines, prints and original art. And Jamie will be doing commissions at the show. 

AWESOME CON - ARTIST ALLEY - M10

I'll be at Awesome Con in Washington D.C. this weekend (May 29 to May 31) along with NEVERMINDS artist, Jamie Fay! We'll be in Artist Alley at table M10. Please stop by, say hello and check out all the amazing Drumfish Productions books, figurines, prints and original art we'll be selling. Jamie will also be taking commissions at the show! We hope to see you all there!

MEGACON 2015 - ARTIST ALLEY - BROWN 9

This weekend Drumfish Productions will be at Megacon! I'll be there along with NEVERMINDS artist, Jamie Fay, in Artist Alley at table Brown 9. We'll have copies of BUGGED, NEVERMINDS and SENTINELS there along with tons of prints and original art. Jamie will also be doing commissions at the show, so stop by and say hello!