This Week’s Indie Comics News Cycle
This is the latest instalment of ’ Indie Comics News. This page is a revolving news cycle post and will cease updating at 12pm 20th August AEST. You will find the latest indie comics news included here that are relevant for the week ending 20/8/21. Any news submitted outside of this time frame are counted as News for the following week and as such will be included in Next Week’s News Cycle.
NOTE: Indie Comics News WILL NOT be added retrospectively. Once the week is over, the news cycle is over.
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Indie Comics News – 17th August 2021
David Pepose’s The O.Z. Returns for Issue 2
David Pepose’s action meets horrific wartorn take of the wizard of oz, The O.Z., has returned to Kickstarter – and this time Issue’s 1 and 2 are up for grabs!
THE O.Z. follows Dorothy Gale’s granddaughter and namesake, a disillusioned Iraq war veteran who is swept up by a tornado and dropped into the war-torn land of Oz. Now leading the Resistance against the Scarecrow’s regime, Dorothy must join forces with the Tin Soldier, the Prince of Lions and Jack Pumpkinhead if she hopes to locate the all-powerful Silver Slippers and bring peace to the Occupied Zone… or as the locals call it, The O.Z.
“We are incredibly thrilled for The O.Z. to make its long-awaited return to Kickstarter,” said series writer David Pepose. “Thanks to the overwhelming support of more than 1,200 backers in our last campaign, we’re excited to pull the curtain back and lead our Yellow Brick Road Warriors through even more of our dangerous and sweeping fantasy world. If you’re a fan of L. Frank Baum’s iconic Wizard of Oz mythology, you’ll love our action-packed twist with The O.Z.”
THE O.Z.’s Kickstarter will fund the series’ 44-page second issue, with early bird specials and catch-up tiers available for those who missed the first campaign. Rewards include:
- Behind-the-scenes materials including David Pepose’s script, Ruben Rojas’ raw inks, and Whitney Cogar’s untouched colors;
- Four covers by Ruben Rojas, Maan House, Farid Karami, and Cem Iroz
- Online pitch review by David Pepose
- Original art commissions from Ruben Rojas
- A chance to get drawn into the book
- Three limited-edition sets of Scout’s Honor Ranger Scout merit badges
- Three limited-edition Spencer & Locke handmade plushies
- A store signing with writer David Pepose anywhere in the continental U.S.
Find Out What Fans Think of The O.Z.:
“Terrific! Such a clever concept and so well done… definitely don’t miss out!” – Scott Snyder (Batman, Nocterra)
“A clever twist on an old story, but more than that… a meditation on how deeply we carry trauma the world inflicts on us, whether that world is real or not.” – Mark Russell (Second Coming, Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles)
“Emotional and engrossing… [The O.Z.] really does leave its readers wanting to see just how far the war-torn rabbit hole goes.” – Comic Book Resources
“An unflinching tale about the punishing consequences of war, the search for noble leadership, and legacy… this is one Kickstarter you do not want to miss.” – Syfy
“A giant success of an indie comic… [The O.Z.] is a sensation.” – The Comics Beat
Check out the below trailer:
Indie Comics News – 16th August 2021
Grammy-Nominated Producers Unsecret and DJ Form unveil Seven Dead Stars #0
Seven Dead Stars, created by Grammy-nominated producers Unsecret and DJ Form, invite comics readers and music lovers to an exciting new world of audio-visual consumption! Featuring a star-studded cast of creators with art by Cliff Richards (Batman, Justice League, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), colors by Michael Bartolo (Captain America, Iron Man, Star Wars), and letters and layout by Kathryn S. Renta (Wonder Woman, Call of Duty), this thrilling space adventure series set in the distant future follows a band of unlikely heroes protecting the survivors of an alien war from a ruthless galactic regime.
In the prelude to the ongoing Seven Dead Stars saga, offbeat heroes Unsecret and Form crash land on a mysterious planet where things aren’t always as they seem. Although the natives appear friendly, there are clues that suggest something more sinister might be at play. As the tension builds, their only true friend is a curious blue dog harboring secrets of his own. What they discover along the way will not only alter the course of their lives, but the future of the entire universe.
Inspired to combine orchestral scores with hip-hop beats, the Seven Dead Stars music universe launches with the one-off single “Deep Space” which is now available for streaming! It will be followed by three songs from the upcoming “EP Zero”, the accompanying soundtrack by Unsecret and DJ Form, mixed by renowned blockbuster film score producer Greg Townley. Look for “Keep Running” on Aug. 20, “Next Level” on Aug. 27, and “Set It Off” on Sept. 3. With vocal samples by Wes Writer, horns by Keith Everett Smith, and strings by Chris Carmichael, Seven Dead Stars is a multimedia juggernaut aimed to conquer the universe!
“Seven Dead Stars is a natural extension of growing up on Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, and comics,” said Unsecret. “What began with a couple of long-time friends trying to make some fresh music quickly grew into something much bigger than we imagined.”
“We also wanted the story to be loads of fun,” added DJ Form. “Not taking ourselves too seriously. The songs reflect that same attitude, blending hip hop beats with cinematic scores.”
“When I signed on to design and draw a record album cover a year and a half ago, I never dreamed it was secretly the ground floor of creating a whole universe of characters and storylines,” said artist Cliff Richards. “What started as a mysterious music project with Unsecret and DJ Form grew and grew until it became a comic book. Then that comics concept just kept on growing! Each week were new characters, new environments, new story pages of breathtaking twists and turns. Seven Dead Stars is a series of supernova concepts and ideas — some of the most powerful comics I’ve seen in years. I’m proud to be a part of it!”
“Seven Dead Stars is quite intriguing, an epic space opera in the making,” said Michael Bartolo, Colorist.
“From the first page, I was in love with this story,” said Kathryn S. Renta, Letterer & Production Artist. “Form and Unsecret’s friendship is just antagonistic enough to be fun and endearing, plus I (not so secretly) want a Buster of my own! Form is an absolute delight to work with. I can’t wait to work on the next issue!”
Check out the below video to get a bite of this transmedia comics project:
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