SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: JOMAN MERCADO

Joman Mercado is an amazing artist who’s work I first saw when he entered the second Drumfish Productions Art Contest on DeviantArt. A resident of the Phillippines, Joman won second place in the contest with his interpretation of Firebomb and Phazer from SENTINELS.

I was extremely impressed with Joman’s illustration style. His linework is super clean and precise. His choice of colors always compliments the subject he’s drawing and his coloring technique is very painterly and original! I knew right away that I wanted to collaborate with him one day. We were working on the second SENTINELS Anthology around this time and I was happy when Joman agreed to work on Kickback’s story for the book.

Of all the third generation SENTINELS stories, Kickback’s has the most panels on one page. (Sorry about that, Joman!) But being the professional he is, you would never hear Joman complain. He simple delivered an amazing looking page with everything exactly on there as it was asked. In addition to that, Joman really captured Kickback’s personality and look. He draws younger characters great!

I’m still hoping to one day Joman and I work on a story together, but for now, I think everyone will agree that he knocked it out of the park with his artwork for Nicholas Lynch’s story! Please check out more of Joman’s work at http://jomanmercado.deviantart.com

LUCIANO VECCHIO ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #1 VARIANT COVER

Please give CONGRATULATIONS to Luciano Vecchio, who's variant cover for the all-new, all-different Avengers #1 is out today! This is a BIG deal for him. I mean, it's the cover for AVENGERS#1!!!! It's so awesome! I'm so happy and proud for my original partner in crime on SENTINELS and can't wait to see what he does next! GO out and support Luciano by picking up his variant cover to Avengers #1!

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: NICHOLAS LYNCH

Since he was able to talk, my nephew, Nicholas Lynch, has had a gift for storytelling. Of course, most of stories back then were made up and he used them to get out of trouble! But, he developed a quick wit and great sense of humor that would make you laugh even though you know you shouldn’t be.

When he was just 12 he wrote one of my favorite books I’ve ever been given. It was a Christmas gift to me and was about my new puppy, Harlee, who was only a few months old, and how she spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family causing all kinds of chaos. Nick used that truth to create a story about all the adventures she had during that time. It was hilarious! I really loved it and was completely impressed by how talented a writer he was. And I’m honestly saying that because I laughed out loud reading what he wrote. I’m super proud of him and what a great person he has grown to become.
When it came time to gather creators for the second SENTINELS Anthology, there was no doubt that I wanted to have Nicholas write something. And who better for him to write than the SENTINELS resident smartass, KickBack! Fitting, huh? lol. I teamed him with artist, Joman Mercado and they created one of my favorite 3^rd Gen character stories that I hope readers will find as perfect for the character as I do!

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: ROGAN JOSH

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: ROGAN JOSH

I met Josh a few years ago and was immediately impressed with his work and love of comics. Josh (Rogan Josh) is an incredible artist whose style is unlike any other comic work I’ve seen before.  Using what he has coined as “modHero” style, his work is very graphic and designed with extreme consideration to positioning and color. His figures, backgrounds and symbols are bold and pull you into his work immediately.  His work has been featured in many galleries and most recently at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

After that initial meeting, Josh read the entire SENTINELS series and told me he really enjoyed it! At the time, I wasn’t really planning on doing another Anthology (just yet), but Josh asked that if I ever did another one, he could be involved. I was curious and asked what he’d be interested in doing and Josh said he already had an idea for a story for Phazer! I was sold on the idea very quickly and with that, Josh kicked off the beginning of the second SENTINELS Anthology! 

Josh’s story for Phazer really captures the character. It was important to me that someone who cares about the character and understands him spotlighted Phazer. Phazer has a lot of supporters and represents the LGBT community in a positive way since he was introduced over 10 years ago. He’s also a role model for the 3rd generation SENTINELS. As the co-founder for GeeksOut, a nonprofit organization that represent the queer geek community, I knew Josh would do an amazing job on Phazer’s story and handle him perfectly.

Josh’s story for Phazer is also significant because he did all of the writing and art for the story himself! And you won’t believe it once you see his work, but this is Josh’s first sequential comic story ever! And to say he hit the ball out of the park is an understatement. Josh went above and beyond for this story and I can see this is just the beginning of his sequential work (at least I hope so!). 

I’m proud to have Josh involved in the SENTINELS Anthology and I hope everyone reading this will check out more of Josh’s work at www.modhero.com and order the second SENTINELS Anthology at: http://www.freewebstore.org/DrumfishProductions/SENTINELS__ANTHOLOGY_2/p1777237_14809770.aspx

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: HOLLY MONGI

Holly Mongi is an amazing artist who’s work I originally saw at the first NYCC Anime Show over 5 years ago. I was immediately impressed by the beautiful watercolor technique Holly used on her art. I’ve never been an artist who was able to grasp watercolors very well. I’m just not good at it. But when you see Holly’s work, she makes it look so easy! Her work stood out from everyone else’s at the show. It also helps that Holly has an animation background and her character drawings are so fluid and full of movement. I can’t say enough great things about Holly or her work! Over the years, I’ve been lucky to get some excellent commissions from her in my sketchbook. That’s why, when we began working on the second SENTINELS Anthology, I made sure to get her involved!

Holly drew Electro-Cute’s story in the Anthology and found a very creative work to work a lot into just one page. The story is touching in a way I didn’t expect and Holly’s sensitive art style makes it all the more special. Written by Todd Latoski, Electro-Cute’s story is another great example of what two creators can do when they collaborate so well!

Did I mention how insanely busy Holly is?  Not only does she work as a lead animator at an educational video game company, but she also has her own graphic novel, Aviary, that she is working on! I love the story so far and hope people check it out at www.aviarycomic.com . But the biggest project Holly has right now is as a proud new Mom to a beautiful baby!

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: TODD LATOSKI

I've been friends with Todd Latoski for a number of years now and it's been a pleasure reading his work during that time. He's also been a big help to me every year I attend Megacon in Florida. 

Todd is one of the few returning creators from the first SENTINELS Anthology that contributed to this second one. For the first Anthology, Todd wrote a great story about Electron and how he discovered his powers. So, I thought it was only fitting that he would write Electron's sister, Elena's story for this new one. Todd was one of the first creators to get their work completed and I loved the idea he came up for Electro-Cute. It was perfectly in character and fits into the larger story in the book where we see Elena as an adult. Illustrated by the amazing Holly Mongi, I think the story is touching and shows a softer side of a character that's usually portrayed as tough. But that's no surprise to me, because I've always been a fan of Todd's writing. In fact, I've very excited to read the printed version of his first original graphic novel, which he hopes to have out soon! It will be just the first in a series of children's mystery stories that I know people will love! Todd has been working on the book for a while now and speaking from experience, I know how hard it can be to get your first project out there, so I can't wait for him to start sharing the book in previews for the public!

When he's not writing his mystery novels, serving as the editor of Sleuth magazine, or writing reviews and reporting on Megacon, Todd can be found acting! Over the last few years, Todd has gone from few line character roles, to being the lead in some productions! Congratulations, Todd! I hope to catch one of his shows next time I'm in Florida for Megacon.

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: GAVIN MICHELLI

Born in and raised in Louisiana, Gavin Michelli is the artist on Flare’s story for the second SENTINELS Anthology. Obtaining his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Louisiana State University, Gavin fell in love with comic books, cartooning and art in general. He’s work on Last Ride for the Horseman and published Ancients and Warriors: The Art of Gavin Michelli for Inverse Press.

I first noticed Gavin work on DeviantArt and was very excited when he entered and WON first place on our 3^rd Drumfish Productions Art Contest. His rendition of Templar for the contest was killer and showed off his painterly art style perfectly. It wasn’t long after Gavin won the contest that we started working on the Anthology. I knew I really wanted Gavin to be involved and decided to pair him up with fellow Louisiana resident, Beau Tidwell. It was a perfect match! Gavin’s style, along with the bold colors he used, really gave a lot of depth to an already great story. Gavin also does a lot of interesting design angles and makes you understand the environment the characters are in. I expect everyone to be hearing great things from Gavin soon! But in the meanwhile you can see his work on Flare’s story within the Anthology and learn more about his next projects at www.gavinmichelli.deviantart.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: BEAU TIDWELL

Beau Tidwell and I go way back to when we both used to worked in the newsroom at the New York Times. Under the pressure of deadlines and breaking news, we’d often sneak in conversations about comics. Beau had read SENTINELS and been very kind with his comments about my work. He would actually ask me questions about the story and he even knew the characters. Between friends and co-workers, that was pretty rare and it was definitely appreciated.

So, when it was announced that Beau’s first comic story for DC Comics would be printed in the Superman 80 Page Giant, I was very happy for him! It not often a writer can break into the business and have their first published work be for one of the big two companies. It was pretty freaking great!

Before we started working on the second SENTINELS Anthology, I knew I wanted Beau to be involved, but couldn’t decide which character he should write! Ultimately, I chose to have him write Flare’s story. Flare was originally one of the villains who fought the SENTINELS and then reformed and joined the team. At the end of the series, it was shown that she had married fellow member, Crusher, and they now had two children. This ended up being perfect for Beau who had recently become a father. Juggling parenthood and a career is something he knows a lot about and his story for Flare shows just that. Teaming him up with artist, Gavin Michelli, was also a perfect match and it’s a weird coincidence that they both now live in Louisiana!

Beau recently switched things up a bit and moved from reporting news to being part of the political world. But he’s still writing and recently finished posting the final installment of the first novel he ever wrote, Vanity Project, for free online. Please check it out at http://vanityprojectonline.tumblr.com/ and follow Beau’s tweets @NewNolaDad 

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: DANIELLE ALEXIS ST. PIERRE

Next up on the SENTINELS Anthology #2 Spotlight is the ever amazing Danielle Alexis St. Pierre! Anyone who follows Drumfish Productions' NEVERMINDS title, knows how talented Danielle is! From the moment she joined our creative team, Danielle has been a key in making NEVERMINDS looks so beautiful. As colorist on the book, Danielle helps create the look and feel of the NEVERMINDS universe. Her colors shape the mood of every scene and give depth to the characters while complimenting Jamie Fay's linework perfectly. I often say how I'm extremely lucky to work with such incredible artists and Danielle is absolutely one of those creators I'm referring to. At any moment I expect her to tell us she is working for Marvel or DC now! 

And it's not just her coloring that I'm talking about, it's her pencil and ink work too. It's been a pleasure to watch Danielle grow and challenge herself as an artist over the last few years. And it hasn't always been easy for her, but you would never hear her complain about how hard she works. Recently, she teamed up with her husband and best friend, Nathan St. Pierre, to begin their own publishing company, Odd19 Studios. There, Danielle is the artist on Sins of Omniscience and Limited Immunity. 

When it came time to gather creators for the second SENTINELS Anthology, there was never any doubt that I wanted Danielle involved. The only question was - how much she could do! Fortunately, she found time to not only draw Ignite's story in the SENTINELS Anthology, but also color Gospel's story over Stephane De Caneva's linework. Both final products are a visual delight and show off Danielle's coloring and linework perfectly. I can't say enough great things about Danielle's work and I hope you will all take a few minutes to see exactly what I mean by checking out her website at www.dstpierre.deviantart.com/

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: NATHAN ST. PIERRE

One of my favorite things about working on the second SENTINELS Anthology was deciding which creators would work on which characters and which creators would team-up with each other. For Ignite's story in the book, it was incredibly easy to match up the writer and artist, because they're one of my favorite married creators in comics, Nathan and Danielle St. Pierre! 

I've known Nathan for a few years now through working with Danielle on NEVERMINDS. And ever since we first started planning the Anthology, I knew I wanted them both to be involved. Together, they have their own comic publishing company, Odd19 Studios. There, Nathan writes Sins of Omniscience and the webcomic Limited Immunity. Both of those stories focus on people who strive to make the world a better place. And if you know Nathan, that comes as no surprise. They say you write what you know and I think that's a pretty true statement. Nathan is a very loyal guy who is not afraid to state his opinion and stand up for what he believes (just follow him on Facebook and see! lol). I love the story that Nathan wrote because it focuses on bettering yourself and pushing yourself against the odds. Much of what the SENTINELS stood for is just that and fits in perfectly within the Anthology. I can't wait for readers to see what I'm talking about! But in the meanwhile, big thanks to Nathan for being involved and please check out more of his work at www.odd19.com and wish him a Happy Birthday today!

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: GENE KELLY

Next up in our SENTINELS Anthology #2 creator spotlight is Gene Kelly! Gene is a web developer and comic creator from the midwest, where he lives with his wife and daughters. He loves making comics, learning new things, building websites and plays a mean bass! I first saw Gene's work on DeviantArt a few years ago. What I loved immediately about his art was how clean and crisp it was. His linework is really precise and he know sthe art of inking which many artists seem to forget. And then I saw his comic, Rocket and Bounce! I was impressed with the concept and story and how it was a great all-ages comic.

So, when it came time to find artists for the Anthology, I knew I wanted to get Gene involved. I was honored with his enthusiasm and contribution to the book. He was one of the first artists to turn their work in and it's been sooooo long now since he's completed his story on Beatdown (written by Al Dorantes), that I'm afraid he might have even forgotten that he drew it! lol. I hope not though because it's beautifully drawn. 

Earlier this year, Gene (along with his wife and best friend) launched his first ever app! It's called "Where's my Goblin?"and is a all-ages matching game! It full of fun graphics and interesting characters. I hope it becomes a huge success! Check it out at any of the following links below and also be sure to look at Gene's website!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wheres-my-goblin/id957592608

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gmail.volcanobean.Wheres_My_Goblin

http://www.amazon.com/Volcano-Bean-LLC-Wheres-Goblin/dp/B00U1RASBS

 http://genekelly.deviantart.com/

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: AL DORANTES

Anyone who has ever attended the old Pittsburgh Comicon has met Al Dorantes! Of course, the show is gone now, but I have great memories of it and up at the top of that list is meeting Al Dorantes. 

For me, the best thing about the convention was the sense of family and support there. It was truly like no other show. Every year, you wanted to come back no matter what your sales were because you had such a great time with the people. Both creators and fans were always amazingly nice. But nobody was as generous and loyal as Al Dorantes. Al hosted the pre-show party in the hotel penthouse many years and it was the highlighted start of what was always a great weekend. He (along with Glenn Barbis Jr.) would get all the artist to draw and contribute to the Make-A-Wish Charity Auction and Al was always the first to offer you a drink!

Al was the mastermind behind Luchador Enterprises and I usually had the table setup across from him. So, over the years, I got to know his writing well and enjoyed his work greatly. On the flipside of being a nice guy, Al also has a no-nonsense attitude and calls it like he sees it. Both of those qualities comes across in his writing; from the gritty graphic novel, Retribution, to his children's book series like "Black and Gus", you know it's Al's work.

When it came time to gather creators for the second SENTINELS Anthology, I knew I wanted to have Al contribute. Luckily for me, he agree quickly and was the first to get his story on the third generation's main tough guy, Beatdown! Al's story is a classic throwback to the silver age of comics and fits in perfectly with the entire Anthology. I know everyone will love what he and artist, Gene Kelly, have done! 

Please check out Al's children's book series at www.blackandgus.com

SENTINELS ANTHOLOGY #2 SPOTLIGHT ON: BERNCE ACOSTA LLAMO

I'm really excited for people to see Bernce Acosta Llamo's artwork! His style is so full of life and energy! I'm nto kidding, his characters jump off the page. It's really incredible! When I first saw his work as part of a weekly sketch group (formed by Andrew Charipar!) called Illustrious Bits, I was in awe of the quality of his work, especially the movement of his characters and the interesting colors choices he makes. I immediately knew I wanted to work with Bernce one day. 

When Howie Noeldechen sent me his script for his Crusher story for the second SENTINELS Anthology, I only thought of one artist to draw it and that was Bernce! Luckily for me, Bernce said he would love to be involve with the Anthology. 

Based in the Philippines, Bernce completed fine art with a major in advertising at the Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Institute for Science and Technology. Throughout school, Bernce followed his passion for drawing comics with Atlas Publishing. He also did layout and design for the Communications Foundation for Asia and is currently a senior artist for the indie group, Hollowpoint Studio Comics!

Please check out more of Bernce's amazing work at www.bernce.deviantart.com